Urinary kallikrein and non-kallikrein arginine esterase activities in beagle dogs.

The activity of urinary kallikrein and non-kallikrein arginine esterase was measured in the 16hrs urine of 16 beagle dogs. Enzyme activity was assayed using D-valyl-L-leucyl-L-arginine-p-nitroanilide as a substrate at 30 degrees C, pH 8.0, and the unit of measurement was defined as the activity which catalyzes the hydrolysis of 1 mumol of the substrate per minute. Kallikrein activity ranged from 3.87 to 48.92 (28.48 average) mU/ml of urine, or from 1.05 to 12.51 (4.56 average) U/16 hrs; whereas that of non-kallikrein arginine esterase ranged from 0.06 to 24.28 (7.11 average) mU/ml, or from 0.01 to 9.78 (1.43 average) U/16 hrs. The ratio between the activity of these two enzymes was 1: 0.002-1: 2.98 (1: 0.42 average). Male dogs had a tendency to show a higher enzyme activity than females for urinary kallikrein and non-kallikrein arginine esterase.