Enzymes from human articular cartilage: isolation of arylsulfatase B and its comparison with arylsulfatase A.

This study describes the isolation of arylsulfatases A and B (arylsulfate sulfohydrolase EC 3.1.6.1) from human articular cartilage. These enzymes were extracted from collagenase digests of tissue homogenates. After fractionation with ammonium sulfate the enzymes were separated from each other by DEAE-cellulose chromatography and further purified by gel filtration on Sephadex G-200. Sulfatase B, subsequently chromatographed on CM-cellulose was apparently homogenous as judged by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence and absence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. The enzyme has a pH optimum of 5.6, a molecular weight of 51,000 and Km of 2.6 mM for 4-nitrocatechol sulfate. Sulfatase A was found to be a glycoprotein with a pH optimum of 4.8, a molecular weight of 105,000 and a Km of 0.16 mM for 4-nitrocatechol sulfate. The competitive inhibition of both enzymes by inorganic sulfate, sulfite and phosphate support the likelihood of a common reaction mechanism. In contrast to sulfatase B which showed minimal inhibition, sulfatase A was totally inhibited by 5 mM N-ethylmaleimide.