Human liver carboxylesterase. Properties and comparison with human serum carboxylesterase.

Carboxylesterase was obtained from human liver in an electrophoretically homogeneous form. The monomeric molecular weight of the enzyme was 60,000 and the enzyme associated to form trimers. Purified human liver carboxylesterase was compared with human serum carboxylesterase, purified earlier. Serum carboxylesterase hydrolyzed a typical cholinesterase substrate and aryl acylamide, whereas liver carboxylesterase did not hydrolyze these compounds. Both carboxylesterases catalyzed the hydrolysis of short-chain triacylglycerols, such as tributyrin, and medium-chain monoacylglycerols, such as monocaprin, but not the hydrolysis of long-chain triacylglycerols. Serum carboxylesterase activity was inhibited by p-trimethylammoniumanilinium dichloride and neostigmine, whereas liver carboxylesterase activity was not affected by these compounds. Liver and serum carboxylesterase activities were both strongly inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride.