Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.21.4 (trypsin)
42,187 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Protease-activated receptors (PARs) belong to a family of G-coupled seven transmembrane receptors that are activated by a proteolytic cleavage of their N-termini. Recent studies suggest the involvement of protease-activated receptors-1 and -2 (PAR-1, PAR-2) activators in mast cell degranulation in various physiological and pathophysiological processes in inflammatory responses. Although PAR-1 and PAR-2 activating proteases, thrombin and tryptase, have been associated with mast cell activation, PAR-1 and PAR-2 have not been localized within these cells. We describe here the localization of PAR-1 and PAR-2 in mast cells from various normal human tissues using immunohistochemical and double immunofluorescence techniques. The presence of these receptors on the membrane may explain the actions of accessible extracellular thrombin and tryptase for mast cell activation. In addition to the membrane labeling, these receptors are also localized on the membrane of the intracellular tryptase-positive granules, which may function to sustain further mast cell degranulation upon exocytosis. The localization of these two receptors in mast cells suggests a novel mechanism for controlling mast cell activation through regulation of PAR-1 and PAR-2.
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PMID:Localization of protease-activated receptors-1 and -2 in human mast cells: indications for an amplified mast cell degranulation cascade. 1094 11

Thrombin and trypsin activate protease-activated receptors (PARs) that modulate vascular tone. In addition to the PARs, thrombin also binds to thrombomodulin via exosite 1, a domain also involved in the interaction of thrombin with PAR-1 but not PAR-2. The purpose of this study was to determine whether thrombomodulin would alter thrombin-induced vasoconstriction, thought to be mediated predominantly by PAR-1, but not PAR-2, which mediates vascular relaxation. For comparison, thrombomodulin was examined for its effect on both thrombin and trypsin-induced responses. Trypsin was 2000-fold more potent as a relaxant than as a contractile peptide, whereas thrombin was only 7.8-fold more potent as a relaxant than contractile agonist, consistent with activation of PAR-1 predominantly mediating contraction and PAR-2 predominantly mediating relaxation. Although thrombomodulin (10(-7) M) alone did not alter vascular tone or the rate of thrombin-induced vascular responses, thrombomodulin (10(-8) and 10(-7) M) attenuated maximal thrombin (10(-8) and 10(-7) M)-induced vasoconstriction preferentially compared with thrombin-induced relaxation and had no effect on equieffective trypsin-induced responses. The inhibition of thrombin-induced contraction resulted from the interaction of thrombin with thrombomodulin rather than any direct effect of thrombomodulin on tissue PARs. Thus, this study describes a novel vascular action of thrombomodulin to selectively attenuate thrombin-induced vascular contractility. This action of thrombomodulin may serve to protect vasculature from thrombin-induced vasoconstriction during conditions of endothelial injury known to increase plasma and cellular levels of thrombomodulin.
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PMID:Vascular contraction and relaxation to thrombin and trypsin: thrombomodulin preferentially attenuates thrombin-induced contraction. 1099 91

Protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) is a trypsin-activated member of a family of G-protein-coupled PARs. We have identified a polymorphic form of human PAR2 (PAR(2)F240S) characterized by a phenylalanine to serine mutation at residue 240 within extracellular loop 2, with allelic frequencies of 0.916 (Phe(240)) and 0.084 (Ser(240)) for the wild-type and mutant alleles, respectively. Elevations in intracellular calcium were measured in permanently transfected cell lines expressing the receptors. PAR(2)F240S displayed a significant reduction in sensitivity toward trypsin ( approximately 3.7-fold) and the PAR2-activating peptides, SLIGKV-NH(2) ( approximately 2.5-fold) and SLIGRL-NH(2) ( approximately 2.8-fold), but an increased sensitivity toward the selective PAR2 agonist, trans-cinnamoyl-LIGRLO-NH(2) ( approximately 4-fold). Increased sensitivity was also observed toward the selective PAR-1 agonist, TFLLR-NH(2) ( approximately 7-fold), but not to other PAR-1 agonists tested. Furthermore, we found that TLIGRL-NH(2) and a PAR4-derived peptide, trans-cinnamoyl-YPGKF-NH(2), were selective PAR(2)F240S agonists. By introducing the F240S mutation into rat PAR2, we observed shifts in agonist potencies that mirrored the human PAR(2)F240S, suggesting that Phe(240) is involved in determining agonist specificity of PAR2. Finally, differences in receptor signaling were paralleled in a cell growth assay. We suggest that the distinct pharmacological profile induced by this polymorphism will have important implications for the design of PAR-targeted agonists/antagonists and may contribute to, or be predictive of, an inflammatory disease.
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PMID:A polymorphic protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) displaying reduced sensitivity to trypsin and differential responses to PAR agonists. 1099 71

In addition to its pivotal role in hemostasis, factor Xa binds to human umbilical vein endothelial cells through the recognition of a protein called effector cell protease receptor (EPR-1). This interaction is associated with signal transduction, generation of intracellular second messengers, and modulation of cytokine gene expression. Inhibitors of factor Xa catalytic activity block these responses, thus indicating that the factor Xa-dependent event of local proteolysis is absolutely required for cell activation. Because EPR-1 does not contain proteolysis-sensitive sites, we investigated the possibility that signal transduction by factor Xa requires proteolytic activation of a member of the protease-activated receptor (PAR) gene family. Catalytic inactivation of factor Xa by DX9065 suppressed factor Xa-induced increase in cytosolic free Ca(2+) in endothelial cells (IC(50)=0.23 micromol/L) but failed to reduce ligand binding to EPR-1. In desensitization experiments, trypsin or the PAR-2-specific activator peptide, SLIGKV, ablated the Ca(2+) signaling response induced by factor Xa. Conversely, pretreatment of endothelial cells with factor Xa blocked the PAR-2-dependent increase in cytosolic Ca(2+) signaling, whereas PAR-1-dependent responses were unaffected. Direct cleavage of PAR-2 by factor Xa on endothelial cells was demonstrated by cleavage of a synthetic peptide duplicating the PAR-2 cleavage site and by immunofluorescence with an antibody to a peptide containing the 40-amino acid PAR-2 extracellular extension. These data suggest that factor Xa induces endothelial cell activation via a novel cascade of receptor activation involving docking to EPR-1 and local proteolytic cleavage of PAR-2.
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PMID:Factor Xa activates endothelial cells by a receptor cascade between EPR-1 and PAR-2. 1107 63

Protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2) is a G protein-coupled receptor that is cleaved by proteases within the N terminus, exposing a new tethered ligand that binds and activates the receptor. Activators of PAR-2 include trypsin and mast cell tryptase. Skeletal myoblasts are known to express PAR-1, a thrombin receptor. The current study was undertaken to determine whether myoblasts express PAR-2. Primary neonatal rat and mouse skeletal myoblast cultures were shown to express PAR-2 in polymerase chain reaction and immunocytochemical studies. Expression of PAR-2 was also demonstrated by immunohistochemistry in developing mouse skeletal muscle in vivo. Trypsin or a synthetic peptide corresponding to the rat PAR-2 tethered ligand caused a dose-dependent elevation in intracellular calcium in cultured rat myoblasts, with an EC(50) of 13 nM or 56 microM, respectively. Studies aimed at identifying the function of PAR-2 in myoblasts demonstrated no effect of the receptor-activating peptide on survival or fusion in serum-deprived myoblasts. The PAR-2-activating peptide did, however, stimulate proliferation of serum-deprived myoblasts. These results demonstrate that skeletal muscle cells express PAR-2, activation of which leads to stimulation of myoblast proliferation.
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PMID:Protease-activated receptor-2 mediates proliferative responses in skeletal myoblasts. 1108 36

Apoptosis, well-established in development and now also in degenerative disease, occurs with regularity in several cell compartments early after controlled contusion spinal cord injury (SCI). Cell death in astrocytic, microglial, and neuronal populations peaks at 3 days, while oligodendroglial apoptosis is found 10-14 days later. In this regard, the executioners of apoptosis, the caspase proteases, are also activated within 3 days of SCI. On the other hand, serine proteases, which have been shown to initiate apoptosis and activate caspases in culture models, have not been extensively studied in regards to nervous system trauma. As part of an ongoing effort to examine the spectrum of genes that are up- and downregulated in the injured rat spinal cord, we synthesized serine protease family specific primers to take advantage of conserved residues in the charge relay system and the codon preferences of these mammalian genes. These primers were then employed in a modified, family-specific differential mRNA display technique. One specific serine protease gene we found that was upregulated after injury was prothrombin. Qualitative and quantitative RT-PCR techniques indicated that this increase occurred early, already evident at 8 h after injury, and reached a maximum level fourfold above baseline at 24 h. Peak expression for prothrombin mRNA occurred prior to peak levels of apoptosis in astrocytic, microglial and neuronal compartments at 72 h. Of additional interest, gene database mining revealed that prothrombin shared approximately 48% similarity with myelencephalon-specific protease (MSP), a neurotoxic serine protease previously found to be increased two- to threefold at 3 days after excitotoxic SCI. Since thrombin induces apoptosis in murine and chick motor and rat hippocampal neurons by activating a member of the novel protease-activated receptor (PAR) gene family known as PAR-1, we also analyzed PAR-1 by similar techniques and found that it, too, was upregulated after SCI with the same kinetics as prothrombin. We confirmed these results with gene array analyses that revealed more than one trypsin subfamily serine protease was activated by SCI. They imply the possibility of using specific, tissue-directed serine protease inhibition at translational or transcriptional levels, and offer a potential paradigm shift in drug discovery for SCI to limit the extent of apoptosis, and consequent functional loss, in the human spinal cord.
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PMID:Upregulation of neurotoxic serine proteases, prothrombin, and protease-activated receptor 1 early after spinal cord injury. 1118 32

Proteinase-activated receptors are a recently described, novel family of seven-transmembrane G-protein-coupled receptors. Rather then being stimulated through ligand receptor occupancy, activation is initiated by cleavage of the N terminus of the receptor by a serine protease resulting in the generation of a new tethered ligand that interacts with the receptor within extracellular loop-2. To date, four proteinase-activated receptors (PARs) have been identified, with distinct N-terminal cleavage sites and tethered ligand pharmacology. In addition to the progress in the generation of PAR-1 antagonists, we describe the role of thrombin in such processes as wound healing and the evidence implicating PAR-1 in vascular disorders and cancer. We also identify advances in the understanding of PAR-1-mediated intracellular signaling and receptor desensitization. The cellular functions, signaling events, and desensitization processes involved in PAR-2 activation are also assessed. However, other major aspects of PAR-2 are highlighted, in particular the ability of several serine protease enzymes, in addition to trypsin, to function as activators of PAR-2. The likely physiological and pathophysiological roles for PAR-2 in skin, intestine, blood vessels, and the peripheral nervous system are considered in the context of PAR-2 activation by multiple serine proteases. The recent discovery of PAR-3 and PAR-4 as additional thrombin-sensitive PARs further highlights the complexity in assessing the effects of thrombin in several different systems, an issue that remains to be fully addressed. These discoveries have also highlighted possible PAR-PAR interactions at both functional and molecular levels. The future identification of other PARs and their modes of activation are an important future direction for this expanding field of study.
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PMID:Proteinase-activated receptors. 1135 85

Stimulation of aldosterone by a serine protease, trypsin, was first reported in 1982, although the mechanism of this effect was unclear. Recently, a family of protease-activated receptors (PARs) has been described and four members of the family characterised and cloned, including the previously recognised thrombin receptor. This study investigated whether PARs mediate the action of trypsin on aldosterone secretion. Using intact rat adrenal capsular tissue, thrombin was found to increase aldosterone secretion, and the effects of trypsin on aldosterone secretion were confirmed. Both trypsin and thrombin were shown to activate phospholipase C, as measured by an increase in inositol triphosphate turnover by adrenal capsular tissue. It was also shown that U73122, a phospholipase C inhibitor, attenuated the aldosterone response to trypsin. These effects were consistent with the activation of a PAR. Northern blot analysis revealed the presence of mRNA encoding PAR-1, but not PARs-2, -3 or -4 in the adrenal capsule/zona glomerulosa. Messenger RNA encoding PAR-1 was increased by dietary sodium depletion, consistent with previous reports of an increased response to trypsin after sodium depletion. These data suggest that the actions of trypsin on aldosterone secretion are mediated by PAR-1.
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PMID:Aldosterone secretion by the rat adrenal cortex is stimulated by the activation of protease-activated receptor 1. 1137 28

The serine proteases thrombin and trypsin are among many factors that malignant cells secrete into the extracellular space to mediate metastatic processes such as cellular invasion, extracellular matrix degradation, angiogenesis, and tissue remodeling. The degree of protease secretion from malignant cells has been correlated to their metastatic potential. Protease activated receptors (PAR)-1 and -2, which are activated by thrombin and trypsin respectively, have not been extensively characterized in human tumors in situ. We investigated the presence of PAR-1 and PAR-2 in human normal, benign and malignant tissues using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. Our results demonstrate PAR-1 and PAR-2 expression in the tumor cells, mast cells, macrophages, endothelial cells, and vascular smooth muscle cells of the metastatic tumor microenvironment. Most notably, an up-regulation of PAR-1 and PAR-2 observed in proliferating, smooth muscle actin (SMA)-positive stromal fibroblasts surrounding the carcinoma cells was not observed in normal or benign conditions. Furthermore, in vitro studies using proliferating, SMA-positive, human dermal fibroblasts, and scrape-wounded human dermal fibroblasts demonstrated the presence of PAR-1 and PAR-2 not detected in quiescent, SMA-negative cultures. PAR-1 and PAR-2 in the cells forming the tumor microenvironment suggest that these receptors mediate the signaling of secreted thrombin and trypsin in the processes of cellular metastasis.
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PMID:Differential expression of protease-activated receptors-1 and -2 in stromal fibroblasts of normal, benign, and malignant human tissues. 1139 81

Protease-activated receptors (PARs) are newly identified members of the superfamily of G-protein-coupled receptors that initiate cell signaling by the proteolytic activity of extracellular serine proteases. Certain proteases are believed to be involved in development and repair processes and most likely regulate multiple functions of the CNS by activating PARs. Three members of this family (PAR-1, PAR-3, and PAR-4) are considered thrombin receptors, whereas PAR-2 is activated by trypsin. In the present study, using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), immunocytochemistry, and Ca(2+) mobilization studies, we demonstrate that PAR-1, PAR-2, PAR-3, and PAR-4 are functionally co-expressed in cultured rat astrocytes. Short-term stimulation of astrocytes with thrombin, trypsin, and peptides corresponding to the tethered ligand domains of PAR-1, PAR-2, PAR-3, and PAR-4 induced a transient rise of [Ca(2+)](i) in cultured astrocytes. In studying calcium signaling, based on receptor desensitization, and using an antagonist of thrombin receptor PAR-1, we provide evidence that the thrombin-induced [Ca(2+)](i) response in astrocytes in addition to PAR-1 stimulation, involves also stimulation of PAR-3 and PAR-4. Trypsin, in addition to PAR-2, can also activate PAR-1 and PAR-4. Furthermore we find that activation of PAR-1, and PAR-2 induces proliferation of astrocytes while PAR-4 activation exerts toxic effects. This study is the first to show that (1) cultured astrocytes functionally express PAR-3 and PAR-4 together with PAR-1 and PAR-2; (2) PAR-3-activating peptide (TFRGAP) is effective in eliciting Ca(2+) signaling; and (3) activation of different PARs leads to distinct downstream effects.
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PMID:Four subtypes of protease-activated receptors, co-expressed in rat astrocytes, evoke different physiological signaling. 1174 83


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