Biochemical investigation of the subcellular localization of the estrogen-induced pro-glandular kallikrein in the rat anterior pituitary.

Glandular kallikrein (a trypsin-like serine protease) is a major estrogen-induced and dopamine-repressed protein in the rat anterior pituitary which appears to be associated with lactotrophs. In the pituitary the enzyme predominantly exists as a latent zymogen (pro-glandular kallikrein) which can be activated by trypsin. This study reports experiments employing biochemical techniques to investigate the subcellular localization of glandular kallikrein. Anterior pituitaries from estrogen-treated rats were fractionated on a discontinuous sucrose density gradient and the distribution of various organelles in the gradient was determined by conventional enzyme or protein marker assays. Each of the 8 organelle markers exhibited a unique distribution profile within the gradient. The distribution of glandular kallikrein was closely correlated (r = 0.91) with that of nucleoside diphosphatase (a marker for trans cisterna of the Golgi apparatus). For both glandular kallikrein and nucleoside diphosphatase, 35-45% of the total activity was found in Golgi zones of the gradient, and 18-22% was in the secretory vesicle fraction. In all of the subcellular fractions, 91-97% of the glandular kallikrein existed in the zymogen form (pro-glandular kallikrein). In Golgi fractions, 38% of the glandular kallikrein remained membrane-bound following freeze-thawing and two washes in hypotonic media; 94% of the nucleoside disphosphatase remained membrane-bound following such treatment. The results indicate that glandular kallikrein is most highly concentrated in trans cisternae of the Golgi apparatus with substantial activity also present in secretory vesicles. This localization is consistent with a role for glandular kallikrein as a prohormone processing enzyme in lactotrophs.