J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 261, Issue 16, 7242-7246, 06, 1986
The biosynthesis of rat serum albumin. Metabolism of the NH2-terminal hexapeptide of proalbumin
T Peters Jr and LK Davidson
Proalbumin differs from serum albumin in containing a leading hexapeptide
segment, Arg-Gly-Val-Phe-Arg-Arg. This propeptide is removed in the Golgi
complex immediately prior to secretion of the albumin, but its fate and
possible functions are unknown. We have tested for the presence of the
propeptide and its immediate catabolic products in rat liver and plasma and
have studied both the disappearance of 3H-propeptide after intravenous
injection and the breakdown of synthetic propeptide by rat liver cell
components and plasma in vitro. We found no detectable propeptide or its
two pentapeptide derivatives in rat liver or plasma at a sensitivity of
less than 1 microM. Injected 3H-propeptide was completely cleared from
blood within 2 min. No binding of free propeptide to serum albumin was
observed. Liver cell fractions as well as blood plasma degraded added
propeptide, with the highest activity being observed in smooth microsomes,
the Golgi-enriched fraction, and plasma membrane. These preparations
chiefly removed the terminal arginine residues, whereas enzymes in the
cytosol degraded the peptide completely to amino acids. The activity in
plasma resided largely in an alpha-globulin with molecular mass of about
280,000 Da which appears to be carboxypeptidase N. We conclude that the
liberated propeptide is quickly broken down within the liver cell and does
not accumulate in an amount sufficient to exert feedback or other effects
on albumin synthesis.