Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.21.69 (APC)
 16,337 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Conclusive evidence is presented that a recently purified (Stenflo, J. (1976) J. Biol. Chem. 251, 355-363) vitamin K-dependent protein (arbitrarily referred to as Protein C) which is not related to prothrombin, Factors IX or X is also unrelated to Factor VII. It therefore appears to be a new, previously unrecognized vitamin K-dependent protein. In contrast to prothrombin, which binds to negatively charged phospholipid only in the presence of Ca2+ ions, Protein C, like the other vitamin K-dependent proteins, is a precursor of a serine esterase, presumably a protease, but it does not seem to be necessary for blood coagulation. Although the lipid-binding properties of Protein C may suggest that it is associated with membrane structures, its biological function remains unknown.
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PMID:A new vitamin K-dependent protein. A phospholipid-binding zymogen of a serine esterase. 127 Apr 37

The effect of human T cell leukemia/lymphoma virus type I (HTLV-I) infection on the function and the phenotype of a human proliferating/cytotoxic T cell clone, specific for tetanus toxin, was investigated. During the period after infection, two distinct phases were observed, based on growth properties, phenotype, and functional activity of the infected cells. Phase I HTLV-I infected cells (0 to about 150 days after infection) proliferated in an IL-2-dependent way, but without the requirement for repetitive antigenic stimulation. No differences in expression of the CD2, CD3, CD4, Tp103, and CD28 Ag between these cells and the parental cells could be demonstrated, with the exception of the expression of IL-R p55 and HLA-DR Ag, which were constitutively expressed on the phase I cells. The phase I HTLV-I-infected cells, as well as the parental 827 cells reacted with a mAb specific for an epitope on the variable part of the TCR beta-chain, indicating that the TCR was not altered after HTLV-I infection. Like the parental clone, the phase I cells proliferated in response to tetanus toxin, but the tetanus toxin-specific response of the phase I cells did not require the presence of APC. Results of experiments, in which the levels of intracellular Ca2+ were measured, indicated that HTLV-I cells can acquire the capability to process Ag and present that to themselves. Phase I HTLV-I-infected T cells had lost their cytotoxic activity which was likely to be due to an effect on the lytic machinery rather than on Ag recognition by the TCR, inasmuch as it was found that phase I HTLV-I-infected T cells did no longer contain N-alpha-benzyloxy-L-lysine thiobenzylester-serine esterase activity. Furthermore, it was found that phase I HTLV-I-infected T cells had a diminished capacity to form conjugates with target cells. From a period of about 200 days after HTLV-I infection, phase II cells emerged that proliferated strongly in the absence of IL-2 and that had lost all functional activity. These cells did not express the CD3/T cell receptor complex on their surface. Phase I as well as phase II HTLV-I-infected cells were targets for CTL raised in the autologous donor.
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PMID:Human T cell leukemia/lymphoma virus type I infection of a CD4+ proliferative/cytotoxic T cell clone progresses in at least two distinct phases based on changes in function and phenotype of the infected cells. 246 94

The kinetic parameters were determined for the hydrolysis of a peptide based on the activation site of the thrombin receptor (residues 38-60) by thrombin and 12 other proteases. The kcat and Km values for the cleavage of this peptide (TR39-40) by thrombin were 107 s-1 and 1.3 microM; the kcat/Km of TR39-40 is among the highest observed for thrombin. A model is presented that reconciles the parameters for cleavage of the peptide with the concentration dependence of cellular responses to thrombin. Cleavage of TR39-40 was not specific for thrombin. The pancreatic proteases trypsin and chymotrypsin hydrolysed TR39-40 efficiently (kcat/Km > 10(6) M-1.s-1). Whereas trypsin cleaved TR39-40 at the thrombin activation site (Arg41-Ser42), chymotrypsin hydrolysed the peptide after Phe43. This chymotryptic cleavage would result in inactivation of the receptor. The efficient cleavage of TR39-40 by chymotrypsin (kcat/Km approximately 10(6) M-1.s-1) was predominantly due to a low Km value (2.8 microM). The proteases factor Xa, plasmin, plasma kallikrein, activated protein C and granzyme A also hydrolysed TR39-40 at the Arg41-Ser43 bond, but exhibited kcat/Km values that were at least 10(3)-fold lower than that observed with thrombin. Both tissue and urokinase plasminogen activators as well as granzyme B and neutrophil elastase were unable to cleave TR39-60 at appreciable rates. However, neutrophil cathepsin G hydrolysed the receptor peptide after Phe55. Like the chymotryptic cleavage, this cleavage would lead to inactivation of the receptor, but the cathepsin G reaction was markedly less efficient; the kcat/K(m) value was almost four orders of magnitude lower than that for thrombin. In addition to the above cleavage sites, a secondary site for thrombin and other arginine-specific proteases was identified at Arg46, but the cleavage at this site only occurred at very low rates and is unlikely to be significant in vivo.
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PMID:Cleavage of the thrombin receptor: identification of potential activators and inactivators. 894 6

Potent and readily accessible APC are critical for development of immunotherapy protocols to treat viral disease and cancer. We have shown that B lymphoblastoid cell lines (BLCL) that stably express CMV phosphoprotein 65 (BLCLpp65), as a result of retroviral transduction, can be used to generate ex vivo CTL cultures that possess cytotoxicity against CMV and EBV. In this report, we demonstrate that the EBV-specific cytotoxicity in the BLCLpp65-primed culture had a spectrum of EBV-Ag recognition similar to that of the BLCL-primed counterpart, suggesting that retroviral transduction and expression of the CMV Ag would not compromise the Ag-presenting capacity of BLCL. In addition, BLCLpp65 appeared to present multiple natural pp65 epitopes, because pp65-specific CTL, which recognized different CMV clinical isolates, were generated in BLCLpp65-primed cultures from individuals with various HLA backgrounds. Consistent with a polyclonal expansion of virus-specific CTL, T cell lines established from the BLCLpp65-primed CTL cultures expressed different TCR-Vbeta Although most of the virus-specific T cell isolates were CD8+, EBV-specific CD4+ lines were also established from BLCLpp65-primed cultures. Western blot analysis revealed that the CD8+ lines, but not the CD4+ line, expressed granzyme B, consistent with features of classic CTL. Thus, our results suggested that BLCL stably expressing a foreign Ag might be used as a practical APC to elicit CD8+ T cell responses.
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PMID:B lymphoblastoid cell lines as efficient APC to elicit CD8+ T cell responses against a cytomegalovirus antigen. 1103 22

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) gene expression in tumor cells of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) patients resembles that of EBV transformed B-cell lines (LCL). EBV-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes can be generated by stimulating peripheral blood lymphocytes with autologous LCL. We describe a standardized method for the growth inactivation and cryopreservation of LCL for optimal T-cell stimulation and analyzed the function and phenotype of responding T-cells. LCL growth was completely blocked by mitomycin C treatment (McLCL) and McLCL could be cryopreserved while retaining excellent APC function. McLCL stimulated both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cells as measured by HLA-DR and CD25 expression using FACS analysis. EBV-specific CTL activity and T-cell proliferation were induced and immunocytochemical staining showed CD4(+) and (granzyme B positive) CD8(+) T-cells rosetting with McLCL. Granzymes A and B, IFN-gamma, and IL-6 were detected at significant levels in the supernatant. Thus, ex vivo T-cell activation with cryopreserved McLCL results in activation of both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cells producing a Th1-like cytokine profile, making this a suitable protocol for adoptive therapy of PTLD.
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PMID:Functional CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell responses induced by autologous mitomycin C treated Epstein-Barr virus transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines. 1127 16

TLR have a crucial role in the detection of microbial infection in mammals. Until recently, most investigations on TLR have focused on cells of the innate immune system and on the role of TLR in the initiation of antigen-specific responses following recognition of microbial products by APC. Here, we report that murine T cells express TLR1, TLR2, TLR6, TLR7 and TLR9 mRNA. Using CD8 T cells from F5 TCR-transgenic mice, we demonstrate that the lipopeptide Pam(3)CysSK(4) (Pam), a synthetic analog of bacterial and mycoplasmal lipoproteins that recognizes TLR1/2 complex, costimulates antigen-activated T cells. Costimulation with Pam permits an increased cell proliferation and survival associated with a sustained CD25 expression and an enhanced expression of Bcl-xL anti-apoptotic protein. In addition, we show that costimulation with Pam up-regulates IFN-gamma production but also granzyme B secretion and cytotoxic activity of antigen-activated T cells, indicating that TLR2 engagement enhances the major effector functions of CD8 T cells. Finally, we demonstrate that TLR2 engagement on T cells lowers the activation threshold for costimulatory signals delivered by APC.
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PMID:TLR2 engagement on CD8 T cells lowers the threshold for optimal antigen-induced T cell activation. 1676 17

A recent report revealed that a large population of Hodgkin's lymphoma-infiltrating lymphocytes (HLILs) consisted of regulatory T cells. In this study, we cocultured CD4+ naive T cells with KM-H2, which was established as a Hodgkin's Reed-Sternberg cell line, to clarify their ability to induce CD25+ Forkhead box P3+ (Foxp3+) T cells. The characteristic analyses of T cells cocultured with KM-H2 revealed the presence of CD4+CD25+ T cells. They expressed CTLA-4, glucocorticoid-induced TNFR family-related gene, and Foxp3 and could produce large amounts of IL-10. Conversely, KM-H2 also generated CD4+ CTLs, which expressed Granzyme B and T cell intracellular antigen-1 in addition to Foxp3+ T cells. They exhibit a strong cytotoxic effect against the parental KM-H2. In conclusion, KM-H2 promotes a bidirectional differentiation of CD4+ naive T cells toward Foxp3+ T cells and CD4+ CTLs. In addition to KM-H2, several cell lines that exhibit the APC function were able to generate Foxp3+ T cells and CD4+ CTLs. Conversely, the APC nonfunctioning cell lines examined did not induce both types of cells. Our findings suggest that the APC function of tumor cells is essential for the differentiation of CD4+ naive T cells into CD25+Foxp3+ T cells and CD4+ CTLs and at least partly explains the predominance of CD25+Foxp3+ T cells in HLILs and their contribution to a better prognosis. Therefore, in APC-functioning tumors, including classical Hodgkin lymphomas, which generate Foxp3+ T cells and CD4+ CTLs, these T cell repertories play a beneficial role synergistically in disease stability.
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PMID:Hodgkin's reed-sternberg cell line (KM-H2) promotes a bidirectional differentiation of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells and CD4+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes from CD4+ naive T cells. 1754 18

To investigate the mechanism of CD4(+) T-cell help during the activation and differentiation of directly alloreactive CD8(+) T cells, we examined the development of obliterative airways disease (OAD) following transplantation of airways into fully mismatched recipient mice deficient in CD4(+) T cells. BALB/c trachea allografts became fibrosed significantly less frequently in B6 CD4(-/-) recipients as compared to wildtype controls. Furthermore, class I-directed cytotoxicity failed to develop in the absence of CD4(+) T cells. The infiltration of graft tissue by primed L(d)-specific directly alloreactive 2C CD8(+) T cells was not found to depend on the presence of CD4(+) T cells. Nevertheless, graft-infiltrating 2C CD8(+) T cells failed to express CD69 and granzyme B when CD4(+) T-cell help was unavailable. Importantly, reconstitution of B6 CD4(-/-) recipient mice with graft peptide-specific TCR-Tg CD4(+) T cells (OT-II or TEa) capable of recognizing antigen only on recipient APC allowed for full expression of CD69 and granzyme B by the directly alloreactive CD8(+) T cells and restored the capacity of recipients to reject their allografts. These results demonstrate that indirectly alloreactive CD4(+) T cells ensure the optimal activation and differentiation of graft-infiltrating directly alloreactive CD8(+) T cells independent of donor APC recognition.
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PMID:Allopeptide-specific CD4(+) T cells facilitate the differentiation of directly alloreactive graft-infiltrating CD8(+) T Cells. 1784 62

We describe a positional proteomics approach to simultaneously analyze N- and C-terminal peptides and used it to screen for human protein substrates of granzyme B and carboxypeptidase A4 in human cell lysates. This approach allowed comprehensive proteome studies, and we report the identification of 965 database-annotated protein C termini, 334 neo-C termini resulting from granzyme B processing and 16 neo-C termini resulting from carboxypeptidase A4 processing.
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PMID:Complementary positional proteomics for screening substrates of endo- and exoproteases. 2052 45

Lymphocyte perforin and serine protease granzymes are well-recognized extrinsic mediators of apoptosis. We now demonstrate that cytotoxic lymphocyte granule components profoundly augment the myeloid cell inflammatory cytokine cascade in response to TLR4 ligation. Whereas caspase-1-deficient mice were completely resistant to LPS, reduced serum cytokine production and resistance to lethal endotoxicosis were also obtained with perforin-deficient mice, indicating a role for granzymes. Consistently, a lack of granzyme M (GrzM) resulted in reduced serum IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, TNF, and IFN-gamma levels and significantly reduced susceptibility to lethal endotoxicosis. These altered responses were also observed in granzyme A-deficient but not granzyme B-deficient mice. A role for APC-NK cell cross-talk in the inflammatory cascade was highlighted, as GrzM was exclusively expressed by NK cells and resistance to LPS was also observed on a RAG-1/GrzM-double deficient background. Collectively, the data suggest that NK cell GrzM augments the inflammatory cascade downstream of LPS-TLR4 signaling, which ultimately results in lethal endotoxicosis. Most importantly, these data demonstrate that granzymes should no longer be considered solely as mediators of apoptosis, but additionally as potential key regulators of inflammation.
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PMID:A role for granzyme M in TLR4-driven inflammation and endotoxicosis. 2058 36


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