Proteinase 3 (PR3), the major target autoantigen in Wegener's granulomatosi
s is a serine proteinase that is normally stored intracellularly in the pri
mary granules of quiescent neutrophils and monocytes. Upon cell activation,
a significant portion of this antigen is detected on the cell surface memb
rane. The nature of the association of PR3 with the membrane and its functi
onal significance are unknown. We investigated the interaction of purified
human PR3 with mixtures of zwitterionic (dimyristoyl-L-alpha-phosphatidylch
oline, DMPC) and anionic (dimyristoyl-L-alpha-phosphatidylglycerol, DMPG) p
hospholipids in reconstituted lipid bilayers using differential scanning ca
lorimetry and lipid photolabeling, and measured the affinity of this intera
ction using spectrophotometry. Two other primary granule constituents, huma
n neutrophil elastase (HNE) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were investigated for
comparison. In calorimetric assays, using lipid vesicles of mixed DMPC/DMP
G, increasing PR3 concentrations (protein/lipid molar ratio from 0 to 1 : 1
10) induced a significant decrease of the main chain transition enthalpy an
d a shift in chain melting temperatures which is indicative of partial inse
rtion of PR3 into the hydrophobic region of the lipid membranes. This was c
onfirmed by hydrophobic photolabeling using liposomes containing trace amou
nts of the photoactivable [I-125]-labeled phosphatidylcholine analog TID-PC
/16. The molar affinity of PR3, EWE, and MPO to lipid vesicles of different
DMPC/DMPG ratios was then determined by spectrophotometry. At a DMPC/DMPG
ratio of 1 : 1, molar affinities of PR3, K-d = 4.5 +/- 0.3 mu M; HNE, 14.5
+/- 1.2 mu M; and MPO, 50 +/- 5 mu M (n = 3) were estimated. The lipid-asso
ciated PR3 exhibited two-fold lower V-max and K-m values, and its enzyme ac
tivity was slightly more inhibited (K-i) by the natural alpha(1)-proteinase
inhibitor (alpha(1)-PI) or an autoantibody to PR3.