SOLUBLE KIT RECEPTOR IN HUMAN SERUM

c-kit encodes the transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase (Kit) for the recently described ligand stem cell factor (SCF). We have developed a n enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for measuring soluble human Kit an d we have used the assay to show high levels of soluble Kit in human s erum. The distribution of soluble Kit levels was investigated among 11 2 normal human serum donors. The mean serum level (+/-SD) was found to be 324 +/- 105 ng/mL with the values falling between 163 ng/mL and 78 8 ng/mL. No correlation between soluble Kit levels and the sexes or ag es of the donors was found. partial purification using immunoaffinity chromatography allowed us to characterize the soluble Kit from pooled human serum. Antibodies generated to a 497-amino acid recombinant huma n soluble Kit corresponding to the N-terminal extracellular domain of the receptor recognized the serum-derived soluble Kit by immunoblottin g. We found that the serum-derived soluble Kit is glycosylated, with m ostly N-linked but also O-linked carbohydrate, and with terminal siali c acid residues. When compared with the recombinant human soluble Kit, the serum-derived material was similar both in size and glycosylation pattern. CNBr cleavage of the isolated serum-derived material followe d by amino terminal sequencing confirmed the presence of five peptides expected for the extracellular portion of the Kit molecule. The immun oaffinity purified serum-derived soluble Kit inhibited binding of [I-1 25]SCF to membrane-bound receptor in an in vitro assay. These results indicate that soluble Kit could modulate the activity and functions of SCF in vivo. (C) 1995 by The American Society of Hematology.