Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.21.1 (chymotrypsin)
 10,938 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Urogastrone is a potent inhibitor of gastric acid secretion which is present in human urine. Its existence has been known for over 30 years but it has only recently been isolated in a sufficiently pure form for detailed structural studies to be undertaken. Two separate polypeptides beta- and gamma-urogastrone were isolated. The structures were established by carrying out enzymic degradations of S-carboxymethyl and S-carboxamidomethyl derivatives with trypsin, chymotrypsin, thermolysin and a protease derived from the fungus Armillaria mellea. Sequences of the smaller peptides thus obtained were determined by the dansyl Edman method. Partial acid hydrolysis of urogastrone itself gave fragments containing single intact disulphide bonds, and oxidation then allowed the direction of individual bonds to be established. Beta-Urogastrone was shown to be a 53-amino acid residue polypeptide containing three disulphide bonds, and gamma-urogastrone had an identical sequence but lacked the C-terminal arginine residue. Urogastrone was subsequently found to be structurally related to mouse epidermal growth factor in that 37 of the 53 residues were commonly located in each polypeptide. Furthermore, as both peptides has similar effects upon gastric acid secretion and upon epidermal growth, urogastrone was also a human epidermal growth factor. The 16 variable residues were spread across the molecule, all apart from two were compatible with single base changes in the triplet condons, and the overall effect was to make uorgastrone more acidic than EGF. The smallest biologically active unit has not been defined but at least six residues can be removed from the C-terminus without causing a reduction in potency.
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PMID:The primary structure of human urogastrone. 30 79

The binding of mouse epidermal growth factor-urogastrone (EGF-URO) to membranes from term human placenta is peptide-specific, saturable (about 20 pmol of EGF-URO bound maximally/mg of protein), reversible, and of high affinity (KD about 400 pM). Optimal binding is observed at pH 7.6. At low pH (3.5 to 5.0). EGF-URO can be reversibly dissociated from the receptor; however, exposure to pH < 3 irreversibly inactivates the receptor. The binding, which does not exhibit ligand cooperativity, exhibits an association rate constant of 6.1 x 10(-4) s-1 and a dissociation rate constant of 6.1 x 10(-4) s-1. The dissociation constant determined from the rate constants, 240 pM, is in reasonable agreement with the constant estimated by equilibrium methods. Both monovalent and divalent cations augment EGF-URO binding 2- to 3-fold. Although in general, divalent cations enhance binding at lower concentrations (optimum, 5 mM) than do monovalent cations (optimum, approximately 80 mM), there is no cation-specific effect. Neither guanine nor adenine nucleotides affect EGF-URO binding. Whereas the proteolytic enzymes (trypsin, chymotrypsin, papain, and pepsin) inactivate the receptor, neuraminidase and phospholipases A2, C, and D augment EGF-URO binding. Neuraminidase increases the number of available sites without affecting ligand affinity. Wheat germ agglutinin, concanavalin A, and phytohemagglutinin all compete for the binding of EGF-URO. The data complement previous observations of EGF-URO binding obtained in intact cells and provide a basis for the solubilization, characterization, and isolation of this receptor from a rich tissue source.
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PMID:Characterization of the receptor for epidermal growth factor-urogastrone in human placenta membranes. 625 85

Factor VIIa (FVIIa) is a crucial haemostatic protease consisting of four distinct domains termed the Gla, epidermal growth factor-1 (EGF-1), EGF-2, and protease domains (from N- to C-terminus). The crystal structure of human FVIIa inhibited at the active site with 1, 5-dansyl-Glu-Gly-Arg-chloromethyl ketone and lacking the Gla domain has been solved to a resolution of 2.28 A. The EGF-2 and protease domains were well resolved, whereas no electron density for the EGF-1 domain was observed, suggesting a flexible arrangement or disorder within the crystal. Superposition of the protease domain of the present structure with that previously resolved in the tissue factor (TF)/FVIIai complex revealed that although overall the domain structures are similar, the EGF-2 domain is rotated by 7.5 degrees relative to the protease domain on binding TF. A single cleavage in the protease domain was found, between Arg315 and Lys316 (chymotrypsin numbering 170C-170D) in a FVII-specific insertion loop: this cleavage appeared to be essential for crystallisation. Insertion of the heavy chain N-terminal Ile153 is essentially identical in the two structures, as is the geometry of the active site residues and the inhibitor C-terminal arginine residue. Some differences are seen in the cleaved loop, but changes in TF-contact residues are generally minor. This structure supports the hypothesis that TF binding enables spatial domain arrangements in the flexible FVIIa molecule necessary for procoagulant function and furthermore that active site occupancy induces FVIIa active conformation via N-terminal insertion.
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PMID:Crystal structure of active site-inhibited human coagulation factor VIIa (des-Gla). 1054 46

Procollagen C-proteinase-2 (pCP-2, mTld) is derived from the longest splicing variant of the gene encoding bone morphogenetic protein 1 (BMP-1). The variants have identical amino terminal signal peptides, prodomains and astacin-like protease domains. However, they differ in the length of their carboxy terminal part, which in pCP-2 has the composition CUB1, CUB2, EGF-like1, CUB3, EGF-like2, CUB4, CUB5, and C-tail. In the shorter form, pCP-1 (i.e., BMP-1), the sequence ends after the CUB3-domain. Using a combination of mutagenesis and structural approaches, we have investigated the structure and function of subfragments of pCP-2. The full-length latent recombinant enzyme and its N-terminally truncated form lacking the prodomain were tested for their enzymic activity. The intact protein showed only partial processing of procollagen type I, whereas the truncated form expressed enzymic activity indistinguishable from its native counterpart purified from chick embryo tendons. These results clearly demonstrated that the prodomain is required for the latency of the enzyme but not for its correct folding. Limited proteolysis of the recombinant protein with alpha-chymotrypsin produced four discrete fragments revealing the location of cleavage sites between the repetitive CUB/EGF domains. The results provide evidence that the CUB sequences form independently folded modules that are stabilized by two pairs of internal disulfide bridges. The modules are linked to each other by more flexible, hinge-like peptides. Solid-phase binding assays with isolated CUB domains and immobilized procollagen type I demonstrated that the first three but not the last two CUB domains specifically bound to the substrate. To define putative sites for CUB-CUB or CUB-substrate interactions, we generated molecular models for pCP-2 CUB domains. The models were obtained using as a template the structure of CUB domain in zona pellucida adhesion protein PSP-I/PSP-II from porcine sperm. The predicted conformations for homology models were, subsequently, confirmed by circular dichroism spectroscopy of polypeptide domains isolated following limited proteolysis with alpha-chymotrypsin.
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PMID:Structure and function of procollagen C-proteinase (mTolloid) domains determined by protease digestion, circular dichroism, binding to procollagen type I, and computer modeling. 1072 14

The Bowman-Birk inhibitor (BBI), a soybean-derived protease inhibitor with well-characterized ability to inhibit trypsin and chymotrypsin activities, has been shown to be an effective suppressor of carcinogenesis and treated in human phase IIa clinical trial. However, the precise mechanisms by which BBI suppresses carcinogenesis are unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that BBI specifically and potently inhibits the proteasomal chymotrypsin-like activity in vitro and in vivo in MCF7 breast cancer cells. Proteasome inhibition by BBI is associated with accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins and the proteasome substrates, p21Cip1/WAF1 and p27Kip1, accompanied with downregulation of cyclin D1 and cyclin E which could arrest cell cycle at G1/S phase. Moreover, BBI suppressed MCF7 cell growth and had a novel effect on the decrease of phosphorylated extracellular signal-related kinases (ERK1/2). However, BBI was unable to inactivate ERK1/2 in the presence of a phosphatase inhibitor or a transcription inhibitor suggesting the involvement of a specific phosphatase. We found an induction of MAP kinase phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) in dose- and time-dependent manner correlated with dephosphorylation of ERK1/2 in BBI-treated MCF7 cells. In addition, BBI exhibited no inhibitory effects on EGF-stimulated activation of ERK1/2 and Akt. Together, we suggested that BBI abates proteasome function and results in upregulation of MKP-1, which in turn suppresses ERK1/2 activity. Our results support the notion that proteasome inhibition by BBI is a novel mechanism that contributes to prevention of cancer and further provides evidence that soybean products have the potential to advance as chemopreventive agents.
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PMID:Bowman-Birk inhibitor abates proteasome function and suppresses the proliferation of MCF7 breast cancer cells through accumulation of MAP kinase phosphatase-1. 1574 61

Receptor-ligand interactions between synthetic peptides and normal human erythrocytes were studied to determine P. falciparum merozoite surface protein-10 (MSP-10) regions specifically binding to membrane surface receptors on human erythrocytes. Three MSP-10 protein High Activity Binding Peptides (HABPs) were identified, whose binding to erythrocytes became saturable and sensitive on being treated with neuraminidase, trypsin and chymotrypsin. Some of them specifically recognised a 50 kDa erythrocyte membrane protein. Some HABPs inhibited in vitro P. falciparum merozoite invasion of erythrocytes by 70%, suggesting that MSP-10 protein's possible role in the invasion process probably functions by using similar mechanisms to those described for other MSP family antigens. In addition to above results, the high homology in amino-acid sequence and superimposition of both MSP-10, MSP-8 and MSP-1 EGF-like domains and HABPs 31132, 26373 and 5501 suggest that tridimensional structure could be playing an important role in the invasion process and in designing synthetic multi-stage anti-malarial vaccines.
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PMID:Identifying Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein-10 human erythrocyte specific binding regions. 1582 Jul 53

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is one of the most debilitating malignancies in humans. Currently, radiation and chemotherapy are ineffective, with median survival times after treatment of <12 months. Animal models that reflect the human condition and can be used to explore screening and therapeutic approaches are clearly desirable. One feature of human pancreatic adenocarcinoma is an exceedingly high frequency of K-ras mutation. The present study was conducted to determine if targeted activation of a human oncogenic-ras transgene in rat pancreas would induce carcinomas correspondent to human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas. We established transgenic (Hras250) rats in which expression of a human Ha-rasG12V oncogene is regulated by the Cre/lox system. Targeted pancreatic activation of the transgene was accomplished by injection of Cre-carrying adenovirus into the pancreatic ducts and acini through the common bile duct. Adenoviral infection of injected animals was exclusive to the pancreas; infected cells could be identified in duct, intercalated duct, centroacinar and, less frequently, acinar cells, but not in endocrine islet cells. Four weeks after injection, proliferative lesions in the duct epithelium, intercalated ducts and centroacinar cells, but not acinar cells, were widespread. Tumorigenesis in other tissues was not observed. Most lesions, including atypical duct proliferative lesions, PanIN-like lesions and carcinomas, were positive for cytokeratins 19 and 7, cyclooxygenase 2 and MMP-7 but negative for amylase and chymotrypsin. Many adenocarcinoma lesions were positive for EGF and EGFR. Duct epithelial and atypical duct proliferative lesions and carcinoma lesions were all positive for transduced Ha-rasG12V oncogene expression. The cytogenesis of pancreatic ductal type carcinoma was depicted. This model exhibits important similarities to the human disease and promises to advance our understanding of the behavior of pancreas adenocarcinomas and expedite screening and therapy.
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PMID:Ductal origin of pancreatic adenocarcinomas induced by conditional activation of a human Ha-ras oncogene in rat pancreas. 1677 44

Soluble isoforms of the epidermal growth factor receptor (sEGFR) previously have been identified in the conditioned culture media (CCM) of the vulvar adenocarcinoma cell line, A431 and within exosomes of the keratinocyte cell line HaCaT. Here, we report that the extracellular domain (ECD) of EGFR is shed from the cell surface of human carcinoma cell lines that express 7x10(5) receptors/cell or more. We purified this proteolytic isoform of EGFR (PI-sEGFR) from the CCM of MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells. The amino acid sequence of PI-sEGFR was determined by reverse-phase HPLC nano-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry of peptides generated by trypsin, chymotrypsin or GluC digestion. The PI-sEGFR protein is identical in amino acid sequence to the EGFR ECD. The release of PI-sEGFR from MDA-MB-468 cells is enhanced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, heat-inactivated fetal bovine serum, pervanadate, and EGFR ligands (i.e., EGF and TGF-alpha). In addition, 4-aminophenylmercuric acetate, an activator of metalloproteases, increased PI-sEGFR levels in the CCM of MDA-MB-468 cells. Inhibitors of metalloproteases decreased the constitutive shedding of EGFR while the PMA-induced shedding was inhibited by metalloprotease inhibitors, by the two serine protease inhibitors leupeptin and 3,4-dichloroisocoumarin (DCI), and by the aspartyl inhibitor pepstatin. These results suggest that PI-sEGFR arises by proteolytic cleavage of EGFR via a mechanism that is regulated by both PKC- and phosphorylation-dependent pathways. Our results further suggest that when proteolytic shedding of EGFR does occur, it is correlated with a highly malignant phenotype.
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PMID:Shedding of epidermal growth factor receptor is a regulated process that occurs with overexpression in malignant cells. 1868 26

We report the development of a series of physical hydrogel blends composed of hyaluronan (HA) and methyl cellulose (MC) designed for independent delivery of one or more drugs, from 1 to 28 days, for ultimate application in spinal cord injury repair strategies. To achieve a diversity of release profiles we exploit the combination of fast diffusion-controlled release of dissolved solutes from the HAMC itself and slow drug release from poly(lactide-co-glycolide) particles dispersed within the gel. Delivery from the composite hydrogels was demonstrated using the neuroprotective molecules NBQX and FGF-2, which were released for 1 and 4 days, respectively; the neuroregenerative molecules dbcAMP and EGF, and proteins alpha-chymotrypsin and IgG, which were released for 28 days. alpha-chymotrypsin and IgG were selected as model proteins for the clinically relevant neurotrophin-3 and anti-NogoA. Particle loaded hydrogels were significantly more stable than HAMC alone and drug release was longer and more linear than from particles alone. The composite hydrogels are minimally swelling and injectable through a 30 gauge/200 microm inner diameter needle at particle loads up to 15 wt.% and particle diameters up to 15 microm.
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PMID:An injectable drug delivery platform for sustained combination therapy. 1944 92