Inhibition of human alkaline phosphatases by vanadate.

Orthovanadate was shown to be a potent competitive inhibitor (Ki less than 1 microM) of purified alkaline phosphatase from human liver, intestine of kidney. Inhibition was reversed and full enzymic activity restored in the presence of 1mM-adrenaline. Phosphate and vanadate competed for the same binding site on the enzyme.