Reversible change in the fibroblast lysosomal enzyme dipeptidyl aminopeptidase-1 (cathepsin C) related to the commercial source of fetal bovine serum in the culture medium.

The commercial source of fetal bovine serum used to supplement the growth medium of human skin fibroblasts alters the activity of the lysosomal enzyme dipeptidyl aminopeptidase-1 (DAP-1). Cells grown with one serum were found to have a threefold higher level of DAP-1 than those grown with serum from another source (P less than 0.001). The effect on DAP-1 activity was specific inasmuch as no differences were found in the activities of a variety of other lysosomal and nonlysosomal hydrolases: DAP-II, DAP-III, DAP-IV, beta-glucosidase, beta-glucuronidase, and N-acetyl-beta-galactosaminidase. The effect is reversible and is observed over a wide range of cell population doublings. Cell growth kinetics were not significantly different with the different sera.