Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.21.7 (plasmin)
9,023 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Plasma levels of von Willebrand factor (vWf) are frequently elevated in patients with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). To investigate the qualitative abnormalities of vWf and the possibility of its ex vivo modification in DIC, we analysed the multimeric composition of vWf in citrated plasma from 15 patients with DIC in the presence or absence of serine protease inhibitors (aprotinin and soybean trypsin inhibitor) and/or cysteine protease inhibitors (leupeptin, N-ethylmaleimide and EDTA). The proportion of large vWf multimers in plasma prepared in the presence of cysteine protease inhibitors was higher than those without such inhibitors. The addition of serine protease inhibitors during the preparation of plasma had no effect on the relative amounts of large multimers. The relative proportion of large multimers in plasma prepared without inhibitors and the difference between plasmas prepared with and without cysteine protease inhibitors correlated with plasma plasmin-alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor complex values, but not with other plasma or serum markers of DIC (platelet count, fibrinogen, FDP, D-dimer or thrombin-antithrombin III complex). We conclude that ex vivo proteolysis of plasma vWf occurs frequently in patients with DIC and cysteine protease inhibitors can protect this degradation.
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PMID:Enhanced ex vivo proteolysis of plasma von Willebrand factor in disseminated intravascular coagulation. 145 Mar 24

Increased levels of both the cysteine protease, cathepsin L, and the serine protease, uPA (urokinase-type plasminogen activator), are present in solid tumors and are correlated with malignancy. uPA is released by tumor cells as an inactive single-chain proenzyme (pro-uPA) which has to be activated by proteolytic cleavage. We analyzed in detail the action of the cysteine protease, cathepsin L, on recombinant human pro-uPA. Enzymatic assays, SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis revealed that cathepsin L is a potent activator of pro-uPA. As determined by N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis, activation of pro-uPA by cathepsin L is achieved by cleavage of the Lys158-Ile159 peptide bond, a common activation site of serine proteases such as plasmin and kallikrein. Similar to cathepsin B (Kobayashi et al., J. Biol. Chem. (1991) 266, 5147-5152) cleavage of pro-uPA by cathepsin L was most effective at acidic pH (molar ratio of cathepsin L to pro-uPA of 1:2,000). Nevertheless, even at pH 7.0, pro-uPA was activated by cathepsin L, although a 10-fold higher concentration of cathepsin L was required. As tumor cells may produce both pro-uPA and cathepsin L, implications for the activation of tumor cell-derived pro-uPA by cathepsin L may be considered. Different pathways of activation of pro-uPA in tumor tissues may coexist: (i) autocatalytic intrinsic activation of pro-uPA; (ii) activation by serine proteases (plasmin, kallikrein, Factor XIIa); and (iii) activation by cysteine proteases (cathepsin B and L).
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PMID:Effective activation of the proenzyme form of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (pro-uPA) by the cysteine protease cathepsin L. 155 16

Hedgehog plasma was separated by gel filtration on Sephacryl S-200, the fractions resolved by electrophoresis and the electrophoretograms characterized for collagenase, papain and plasmin inhibiting activities with the high mol. wt substrate casein. The three inhibitors previously identified as alpha 2-, alpha 2-beta- and beta-macroglobulins were found to inhibit all three proteases. These were the only collagenase inhibitors found in plasma. Hedgehog alpha 2-chymotrypsin inhibitor and beta-protease inhibitor were both found to also inhibit papain. Three new inhibitors specific for papain (gamma-, alpha 2- and alpha 1-cysteine protease inhibitors) and one for plasmin (alpha 2-antiplasmin) were also found, bringing the number of protease inhibitors in hedgehog plasma to 14. Immunological cross-reactivity as studied by immunoelectrophoresis showed homology between hedgehog alpha 2-macroglobulin and rat murinoglobulin I and between hedgehog alpha 2-antithrombin and rat antithrombin III.
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PMID:Further studies of plasma protease inhibitors in the hedgehog, Erinaceus europaeus; collagenase, papain and plasmin inhibitors. 288 40

The ability of B16-F10 mouse melanoma cells to cross an amnion basement membrane was determined in the presence of strong inhibitors of both serine and cysteine proteases. The concentrations of inhibitors were at orders of magnitude higher than their Ki values to serine and cysteine proteases implicated in metastasis, thus ensuring a complete inhibition for tumor secreted proteases such as cathepsin B-like proteases, plasminogen activators, and plasmin. Under these conditions of high serine and cysteine protease inhibitor concentrations, no significant decrease in B16-F10 melanoma cell invasion through the amnion was observed. Separate experiments showed that the inhibitors were neither toxic to the cells nor degraded. The results show that neither tumor cell secreted cathepsin B-like proteases nor plasminogen activator have a controlling role in basement membrane crossing in this metastatic model. A possible role for tumor cell membrane proteases in basement membrane invasion, in which the substrates of the protease bind to receptor sites near a membrane associated proteolytic activity, is not eliminated.
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PMID:Inhibition of proteolytic enzymes in the in vitro amnion model for basement membrane invasion. 352 1

To understand digestive and invasive mechanisms employed by blood-feeding parasitic copepods, extracts of Phrixocephalus cincinnatus were assayed for specific proteolytic enzyme activity. Intact parasites were dissected into the 3 major body regions, cephalothorax (CT), genital segment (GS), and eggstrings (ES), and homogenized in ice-cold 1% Triton X-100 (v/v) in water. Protease activity in each body region was assayed using several synthetic fluorogenic peptide substrates. The greatest activity was detected when samples were incubated with carbobenzoxy-phenylalanyl-arginyl-7-amido-4-methylcoumarin (CBZ-phe-arg-NHMec) in the presence of cysteine or reducing agents. Substrate specificity, pH profile, and inhibitor sensitivity indicated that the proteolytic enzyme(s) belonged to the cysteine class of endopeptidases and were most similar to mammalian cathepsins L, B, and H, respectively. Intense protease activity was also detected with carbobenzoxy-glycyl-L-prolyl-L-arginine-7-amido-4-methylcoumarin (CBZ-gly-pro-arg-NHMec), a substrate for the serine proteases, plasmin and thrombin. Substrate gel electrophoresis revealed intense gelatinolytic activity in all body regions; however, the ES extract presented a pattern different from that of the adult body, suggesting that distinct proteolytic enzymes are expressed during development. Gelatinolytic activity was inhibited at low pH and in the presence of serine protease inhibitors but not cysteine protease inhibitors. Collectively, the results indicate the presence of 2 major classes of proteolytic enzymes, cysteine and serine proteases. Differential expression of these proteases may be important for the successful completion of the parasite's life cycle, as well as survival of the adult.
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PMID:Proteolytic enzymes in the blood-feeding parasitic copepod, Phrixocephalus cincinnatus. 905 89

For more than two decades, it has been known that activation of the plasma kallikrein/kinin system only occurs when it is exposed to artificial, negatively charged surfaces. The existence of physiological, negatively charged surfaces has, however, never been demonstrated in vivo. In this report, we describe current knowledge about how the proteins of the plasma kallikrein/kinin system interact with and become activated on cell membranes. In this model, activation of the plasma kallikrein/kinin system on endothelial cells is not initiated by factor XII autoactivation, as seen on artificial surfaces. On endothelial cells, plasma prekallikrein is activated by a membrane-associated cysteine protease. This activation is dependent on the presence of high molecular weight kininogen and an optimal zinc (Zn2+) concentration. Although the initiation of activation of plasma prekallikrein is independent of factor XII, kallikrein-mediated factor XIIa generation, in turn, accelerates the activation of the system. Further kallikrein formed on endothelial cell membranes is capable of cleaving its receptor and native substrate, high molecular weight kininogen, liberating bradykinin and terminating activation. In addition, the kallikrein formed on the surface of endothelial cells results in kinetically favorable activation of prourokinase and, subsequently, plasminogen. Activation of the plasma kallikrein/kinin system on endothelial cells proceeds by a physiological mechanism to initiate cellular fibrinolysis independent of plasmin, fibrin, and tissue-type plasminogen activator.
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PMID:Activation of the plasma kallikrein/kinin system on endothelial cells. 1035 62

Serpins represent a diverse class of endogenous protease inhibitors that regulate important biological functions. In consideration of the importance of regulated proteolysis within secretory vesicles for the production of peptide hormones and neurotransmitters, this study revealed the molecular identity of a novel serpin, endopin 1, that is localized to neurosecretory vesicles of neuropeptide-containing chromaffin cells (chromaffin granules). Endopin 1 of 68-70 kDa was present within isolated chromaffin granules. Stimulated cosecretion of endopin 1 with chromaffin granule components, [Met]enkephalin and a cysteine protease known as "prohormone thiol protease," demonstrated localization of endopin 1 to functional secretory vesicles. Punctate, discrete immunofluorescence cellular localization of endopin 1 in chromaffin cells was consistent with its secretory vesicle localization. Endopin 1 contains a unique reactive site loop with Arg as the predicted P1 residue, suggesting inhibition of basic residue-cleaving proteases; indeed, trypsin was potently inhibited (K(i(app)) of 5 nM), and plasmin was moderately inhibited. Although endopin 1 possesses homology with alpha(1)-antichymotrypsin, chymotrypsin was not inhibited. Moreover, endopin 1 inhibited the chromaffin granule prohormone thiol protease (involved in proenkephalin processing). These results suggest a role for the novel serpin, endopin 1, in regulating basic residue-cleaving proteases within neurosecretory vesicles of chromaffin cells.
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PMID:Molecular cloning of endopin 1, a novel serpin localized to neurosecretory vesicles of chromaffin cells. Inhibition of basic residue-cleaving proteases by endopin 1. 1056 88

Fusobacterium nucleatum subsp. nucleatum has been associated with a variety of oral and nonoral infections such as periodontitis, pericarditis, bone infections, and brain abscesses. Several studies have shown the role of plasmin, a plasma serine protease, in increasing the invasive capacity of microorganisms. In this study, we investigated the binding of human plasminogen to F. nucleatum subsp. nucleatum, and its subsequent activation into plasmin. Plasminogen-binding activity of bacterial cells was demonstrated by a solid-phase dot blot assay using an anti-plasminogen antibody. The binding activity was heat resistant and involved cell-surface lysine residues since it was abolished in the presence of the lysine analog epsilon-aminocaproic acid. Activation of plasminogen-coated bacteria occurred following incubation with either streptokinase, urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA), or a Porphyromonas gingivalis culture supernatant. In the case of the P. gingivalis culture supernatant, a cysteine protease was likely involved in the activation. The plasmin activity generated on the cell surface of F. nucleatum subsp. nucleatum could be inhibited by aprotinin. Activation of plasminogen by u-PA was greatly enhanced when plasminogen was bound to bacteria rather than in a free soluble form. u-PA-activated plasminogen-coated F. nucleatum subsp. nucleatum was found to degrade fibronectin, as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 was also degraded by the plasmin activity generated on the bacterial cells. This study suggests a possible role for plasminogen, which is present in affected periodontal sites, in promoting tissue destruction and invasion by nonproteolytic bacteria such as F. nucleatum subsp. nucleatum.
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PMID:Acquisition of plasmin activity by Fusobacterium nucleatum subsp. nucleatum and potential contribution to tissue destruction during periodontitis. 1056 61

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) is known to be secreted as a phosphoprotein, constitutively phosphorylated at casein kinase 2 (CK2) sites. To examine the effect of phosphorylation by CK2 on the properties of glycosylated human IGFBP-3, we phosphorylated plasma-derived IGFBP-3, containing less than 1 mol/mol phosphoserine, in vitro. As judged by incorporated 32P, enzymatic deglycosylation did not decrease the phosphate content of phospho-IGFBP-3. Phosphorylation had no effect on IGF-I or IGF-II binding, but was inhibitory to acid-labile subunit binding in the presence of either IGF. Determined in simian virus 40-transformed human fibroblasts, cell association by phospho-IGFBP-3 was inhibited approximately 50% compared with that of the nonphosphorylated preparation. Phospho-IGFBP-3 showed significant resistance to proteolysis by plasmin and a cysteine protease secreted by MCF-7 cells. However, no difference was seen between the two preparations in their inhibition of IGF-I-stimulated DNA synthesis when coincubated with IGF-I in neonatal skin fibroblasts or MCF-7 breast cancer cells, and little difference was found in their ability to potentiate IGF-I-stimulated DNA synthesis when preincubated with fibroblasts. These results indicate that IGFBP-3 interaction with acid-labile subunit and with the cell surface, both of which involve basic carboxyl-terminal residues, may be modulated by phosphorylation. Relative resistance to proteolysis and poor binding to cells suggest that CK2-phospho-IGFBP-3 may be a significant inhibitor of IGF activity in the extracellular environment.
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PMID:The effect of phosphorylation by casein kinase 2 on the activity of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3. 1065 Sep 37

The cysteine protease cathepsin B is upregulated in a variety of tumors, particularly at the invasive edges. Cathepsin B can degrade extracellular matrix proteins, such as collagen IV and laminin, and can activate the precursor form of urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA), perhaps thereby initiating an extracellular proteolytic cascade. Recently, we demonstrated that procathepsin B interacts with the annexin II heterotetramer (AIIt) on the surface of tumor cells. AIIt had previously been shown to interact with the serine proteases: plasminogen/plasmin and tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA). The AIIt binding site for cathepsin B differs from that for either plasminogen/plasmin or tPA. AIIt also interacts with extracellular matrix proteins, e.g., collagen I and tenascin-C, forming a structural link between the tumor cell surface and the extracellular matrix. Interestingly, cathepsin B, plasminogen/plasmin, t-PA and tenascin-C have all been linked to tumor development. We speculate that colocalization through AIIt of proteases and their substrates on the tumor cell surface may facilitate: (1) activation of precursor forms of proteases and initiation of proteolytic cascades; and (2) selective degradation of extracellular matrix proteins. The recruitment of proteases to specific regions on the cell surface, regions where potential substrates are also bound, could well function as a 'proteolytic center' to enhance tumor cell detachment, invasion and motility.
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PMID:Cell surface complex of cathepsin B/annexin II tetramer in malignant progression. 1070 59


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