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)

Proteolytic enzymes constitute around 2% of the human genome and are involved in many stages of cell development from fertilization to death (apoptosis). The identification of many novel proteases from genome-sequencing programs has suggested them as potential new therapeutic targets. In addition, several well-characterized metallopeptidases were recently shown to possess new biological roles in neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. As a result of these studies, metabolism of the neurotoxic and inflammatory amyloid peptide (Abeta) is considered as a physiologically relevant process with several metallopeptidases being suggested for the role of amyloid-degrading enzymes. These include the neprilysin (NEP) family of metalloproteinases (including its homologue endothelin-converting enzyme), insulin-degrading enzyme, angiotensin-converting enzyme, plasmin, and, possibly, some other enzymes. NEP also has a role in metabolism of sensory and inflammatory neuropeptides such as tachykinins and neurokinins. The existence of natural enzymatic mechanisms for removal of amyloid peptides has extended the therapeutic avenues in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and neurodegeneration. The proteolytic events underlying AD are highly compartmentalized in the cell and formation of amyloid peptide from its precursor molecule APP (amyloid precursor protein) takes place both within intracellular compartments and in the plasma membrane, especially in lipid raft domains. Degradation of amyloid peptide by metallopeptidases can also be both intra- and extracellular depending on the activity of membrane-bound enzymes and their soluble partners. Soluble forms of proteases can be secreted or released from the cell surface through the activity of "sheddases"-another group of proteolytic enzymes involved in key cellular regulatory functions. The activity of proteases involved in amyloid metabolism depends on numerous factors (e.g., genetic, environmental, age), and some conditions (e.g., hypoxia and ischemia) shift the balance of amyloid metabolism toward accumulation of higher concentrations of Abeta. In this regard, regulation of the activity of amyloid-degrading enzymes should be considered as a viable strategy in neuroprotection.
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PMID:New insights into the roles of metalloproteinases in neurodegeneration and neuroprotection. 1767 58

In Alzheimer's disease (AD) Abeta accumulates because of imbalance between the production of Abeta and its removal from the brain. There is increasing evidence that in most sporadic forms of AD, the accumulation of Abeta is partly, if not in some cases solely, because of defects in its removal--mediated through a combination of diffusion along perivascular extracellular matrix, transport across vessel walls into the blood stream and enzymatic degradation. Multiple enzymes within the central nervous system (CNS) are capable of degrading Abeta. Most are produced by neurons or glia, but some are expressed in the cerebral vasculature, where reduced Abeta-degrading activity may contribute to the development of cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA). Neprilysin and insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE), which have been most extensively studied, are expressed both neuronally and within the vasculature. The levels of both of these enzymes are reduced in AD although the correlation with enzyme activity is still not entirely clear. Other enzymes shown capable of degrading Abetain vitro or in animal studies include plasmin; endothelin-converting enzymes ECE-1 and -2; matrix metalloproteinases MMP-2, -3 and -9; and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). The levels of plasmin and plasminogen activators (uPA and tPA) and ECE-2 are reported to be reduced in AD. Reductions in neprilysin, IDE and plasmin in AD have been associated with possession of APOEepsilon4. We found no change in the level or activity of MMP-2, -3 or -9 in AD. The level and activity of ACE are increased, the level being directly related to Abeta plaque load. Up-regulation of some Abeta-degrading enzymes may initially compensate for declining activity of others, but as age, genetic factors and diseases such as hypertension and diabetes diminish the effectiveness of other Abeta-clearance pathways, reductions in the activity of particular Abeta-degrading enzymes may become critical, leading to the development of AD and CAA.
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PMID:Abeta-degrading enzymes in Alzheimer's disease. 1836 35

The steady state concentration of the Alzheimer's amyloid-beta peptide in the brain represents a balance between its biosynthesis from the transmembrane amyloid precursor protein (APP), its oligomerisation into neurotoxic and stable species and its degradation by a variety of amyloid-degrading enzymes, principally metallopeptidases. These include, among others, neprilysin (NEP) and its homologue endothelin-converting enzyme (ECE), insulysin (IDE), angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). In addition, the serine proteinase, plasmin, may participate in extracellular metabolism of the amyloid peptide under regulation of the plasminogen-activator inhibitor. These various amyloid-degrading enzymes have distinct subcellular localizations, and differential responses to aging, oxidative stress and pharmacological agents and their upregulation may provide a novel and viable therapeutic strategy for prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Potential approaches to manipulate expression levels of the key amyloid-degrading enzymes are highlighted.
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PMID:Amyloid-degrading enzymes as therapeutic targets in Alzheimer's disease. 1839 6

Five point mutations within the amyloid beta-protein (Abeta) sequence of the APP gene are associated with hereditary diseases which are similar or identical to Alzheimer's disease and encode: the A21G (Flemish), E22G (Arctic), E22K (Italian), E22Q (Dutch) and the D23N (Iowa) amino acid substitutions. Although a substantial body of data exists on the effects of these mutations on Abeta production, whether or not intra-Abeta mutations alter degradation and how this relates to their aggregation state remain unclear. Here we report that the E22G, E22Q and the D23N substitutions significantly increase fibril nucleation and extension, whereas the E22K substitution exhibits only an increased rate of extension and the A21G substitution actually causes a decrease in the extension rate. These substantial differences in aggregation together with our observation that aggregated wild type Abeta(1-40) was much less well degraded than monomeric wild type Abeta(1-40), prompted us to assess whether or not disease-associated intra-Abeta mutations alter proteolysis independent of their effects on aggregation. Neprilysin (NEP), insulin degrading enzyme (IDE) and plasmin play a major role in Abeta catabolism, therefore we compared the ability of these enzymes to degrade wild type and mutant monomeric Abeta peptides. Experiments investigating proteolysis revealed that all monomeric peptides are degraded similarly by IDE and plasmin, but that the Flemish peptide was degraded significantly more slowly by NEP than wild type Abeta or any of the other mutant peptides. This finding suggests that resistance to NEP-mediated proteolysis may underlie the pathogenicity associated with the A21G mutation.
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PMID:Aggregation and catabolism of disease-associated intra-Abeta mutations: reduced proteolysis of AbetaA21G by neprilysin. 1860 73

Accumulation and deposition of beta amyloid (Abeta) play a critical role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease (AD), and numerous approaches to control Abeta aggregation are being actively pursued. Brain Abeta levels are controlled by the action of several proteolytic enzymes such as neprilysin (NEP), insulin degrading enzyme (IDE) and plasmin. While up-regulation of these enzymes increased clearance of Abeta in transgenic mouse models of AD, these enzymes have other natural substrates and multiple cleavage sites in Abeta complicating their use for treating AD. Alternatively, immunotherapeutic approaches to clear Abeta are gaining interest. Active and passive immunization studies with Abeta can reduce plaque burden and memory loss, but clinical trials were stopped due to meningioencephalitis in some patients. Naturally occurring proteolytic antibodies have been shown to cleave Abeta, and their serum titers are increased in patients with AD reflecting a protective autoimmune response. These antibodies however cannot cross the blood brain barrier and depend entirely on peripheral clearance to clear Abeta. A potentially non-inflammatory approach to facilitate Abeta clearance and reduce toxicity is to promote hydrolysis of Abeta at its alpha-secretase site using affinity matured single chain antibody fragments (scFvs). Bispecific antibodies consisting of a proteolytic scFv and a targeting scFv can be engineered to selectively supplement and target extracellular alpha-secretase activity and to target toxic Abeta forms facilitating their degradation and clearance without generating an immune response. This strategy represents a suitable paradigm for treating other neurological diseases such as Parkinson's Disease, Lou Gehrig's Disease, and spongiform encephalopathies.
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PMID:Targeted hydrolysis of Beta-amyloid with engineered antibody fragment. 2008 8

The plasma bradykinin-forming cascade and the complement pathways share many elements, including cross-activation, common control mechanisms, and shared binding proteins. The C1 inhibitor (C1 INH) is not only the inhibitor of activated C1r and C1s, but it is the key control protein of the plasma bradykinin-forming cascade. It inhibits the autoactivation of Factor XII, the ability of Factor XIIa to activate prekallikrein and Factor XI, the activation of high molecular weight kininogen (HK) by kallikrein, and the feedback activation of Factor XII by kallikrein. Thus in the absence of C1 INH (hereditary angioedema or acquired C1 INH deficiency) there is unimpeded formation of bradykinin leading to angioedema. Activated Factor XII (Factor XIIa, 80,000 kDa) is further cleaved by kallikrein or plasmin to yield Factor XII fragment (Factor XIIf, 30,000 kDa) and Factor XIIf can activate the C1r subcomponent of C1, particularly when C1 INH (which inhibits Factor XIIf) is absent. Once bradykinin is formed, it causes vasodilatation and increased vascular permeability by interaction with constitutively expressed B-2 receptors. However degradation of bradykinin by carboxypeptidase N (in plasma) or carboxypeptidase M (on endothelial cells) yields des-arg-9 (Kerbiriou and Griffin, 1979) bradykinin which interacts with B-1 receptors. B-1 receptors are induced in inflammatory states by cytokines such as Interleukin 1 and its interaction with bradykinin may prolong or perpetuate the vascular response until bradykinin is completely inactivated by angiotensin converting enzyme or aminopeptidase P, or neutral endopeptidase. The entire bradykinin-forming cascade is assembled and can be activated along the surface of endothelial cells in zinc dependent reactions involving gC1qR, cytokeratin 1, and the urokinase plasminogen activated receptor (u-PAR). Although Factors XII and HK can be shown to bind to each one of these proteins, they exist in endothelial cells as two bimolecular complexes; gC1qR-cytokeratin 1, which preferentially binds HK, and cytokeratin 1-u-PAR which preferentially binds Factor XII. The gC1qR, which binds the globular heads of C1q is present in excess and can bind either Factor XII or HK however the binding sites for HK and C1q have been shown to reside at opposite ends of gC1qR. Activation of the bradykinin-forming pathway can be initiated at the cell surface by gC1qR-induced autoactivation of Factor XII or direct activation of the prekallikrein-HK complex by endothelial cell-derived heat-shock protein 90 (HSP 90) or prolylcarboxypeptidase with recruitment or Factor XII by the kallikrein produced.
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PMID:The plasma bradykinin-forming pathways and its interrelationships with complement. 2058 91


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