Changes in tissue-type plasminogen activator-like and plasminogen activator inhibitor activities in granulosa and theca layers during ovarian follicle development in the domestic hen.

Changes in plasminogen activator (PA) and PA inhibitor (PAI) activities were measured during follicular development in granulosa cells (GC) and theca tissue (TT) isolated from the six largest yolk-filled preovulatory follicles (F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6) and large white follicles (LWF) of the domestic hen. PA activity increased and PAI activity decreased during follicular development, with the peak PA value and minimum activity for PAI observed in the largest preovulatory follicle (F1) 12-14 h before expected time of ovulation. The PA activity in GC and TT appears to be principally of the tissue (t)-PA type judging from its substrate specificity and biochemical characteristics. The enzyme cleaved the chromogenic substrate specific for t-PA (Spectrozyme TM t-PA; CH3SO2-D-CHT-Gly-Arg-p-nitroanilide) more efficiently (4-6 x) than that for u-PA (Spectrozyme TM UK; Cbo-L-Glu-(alpha-t-BuO)-Gly-Arg-p-nitroanilide), suggesting that t-PA may be the predominant PA in the chicken preovulatory follicle. Determination of PA activity following sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and isoelectric focussing suggested the presence of two forms of the enzyme in GC and TT. The predominant form of PA had a molecular weight of 75,000 and an isoelectric point (pI) of 7.7, characteristics similar to those reported for t-PA in humans, pigs, and rodents. The other form of PA had a molecular weight of 35,000 and pI of 8.4. PAI present in GC and TT had a molecular weight of 50,000 and pI of 4.7. In GC, an acid-labile PAI was detected with biochemical characteristics similar to those of the protease, nexin I.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)