Immunochemical studies of high and low molecular forms of urokinase.

The immunochemical properties of high and low molecular forms of urokinase (HMW-UK, MW 53,000, 124,000 IU/mg protein; LMW-UK, MW 32,000, 230,000 IU/mg protein) were studied with specific antisera against the functionally active heavy chain (H chain, MW 31,000, 201,000 IU/mg protein) and the light chain (L chain, MW 18,000) of HMW-UK. Using a double immunodiffusion technique, LMW-UK did not demonstrate L chain antigenicity in the molecule. Anti-L-chain serum exerted no effect on LMW-UK and the H chain, but anti-H-chain serum strongly inhibited the fibrinolytic activity of all the active enzymes (HMW-UK, LMW-UK, and H chain). Anti-L chain serum was found to exert an antifibrinolytic effect on HMW-UK.