Diethyl-p-nitrophenyl phosphate: an active site titrant for lipoprotein lipase.

Diethyl-p-nitrophenyl phosphate is an active site-directed irreversible inhibitor of bovine milk lipoprotein lipase catalyzed hydrolysis of the water-soluble substrate, p-nitrophenyl butyrate. Interaction of lipoprotein lipase and the inhibitor in the absence of substrate gives a biphasic kinetics profile, which is consistent with rapid formation of a phosphoryl-lipoprotein lipase intermediate which hydrolyzes slowly. The magnitude of the absorbance increase accompanying formation of the intermediate provides an analytical method for determining lipoprotein lipase active site concentration.