Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.23.5 (cathepsin D)
 4,130 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The IGFBP proteases were first described in pregnancy serum as a proteolytic activity against IGFBP-3. Since then, IGFBP proteases have been described in many other clinical situations, in various body fluids, and have been shown to cleave IGFBP-2 to -6 with varying specificity. The molecular nature of some of these proteases is being unraveled and three classes of IGFBP proteases have been recognized. These include kallikreins, cathepsins and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). We utilized two cellular systems to demonstrate the significance of IGFBP proteases in cellular growth regulation. In primary cultures of prostatic cells, we have shown that prostate-specific antigen (PSA) has the ability to enhance IGF mitogenic action by reducing the effects of IGFBPs. Similar kallikreins such as gamma nerve growth factor (NGF) share this activity. Within the prostatic milieu, we have also demonstrated epithelial production of the acid-activated IGFBP protease, cathepsin D, and its secretion into seminal plasma, as well as the serum of patients with prostate malignancy. We have also identified MMPs in prostatic cells and fluids. Using cultured airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells, we have demonstrated the synergism between IGFs and inflammatory agents in mediating ASM cell proliferation. Examination of this phenomenon revealed that these agents (e.g. leukotriene D4 and interleukin1-beta) induce the secretion of an IGFBP protease which cleaves the IGFBPs secreted by ASM cells, allowing IGFs to stimulate proliferation. Using several methods, including immunoblotting and immunodepletion techniques, we have identified this protease as MMP-1. These two pathophysiological systems demonstrate the importance of IGFBP proteases as autocrine paracrine growth regulators. Furthermore, IGFBP proteases may be critical elements in malignant and benign proliferative diseases, including prostate cancer and the ASM hyperplasia of long-standing asthma.
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PMID:Insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP) proteases: functional regulators of cell growth. 881 70

PC12 cells undergo apoptosis when cultured under conditions of serum deprivation. In this situation, the activity of caspase-3-like proteinases was elevated, and the survival rate could be maintained by treatment with acetyl-DEVD-cho, a specific inhibitor of caspase-3. In a culture of PC12 cells treated with acetyl-DEVD-cho, where caspase-3-like proteinases are not activated, CA074, a specific inhibitor of cathepsin B induced active death of the cells. Cathepsin B antisense oligonucleotides showed a similar effect to CA074 on the induction of active cell death. By double staining of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate-biotin nick end-labeling and activated caspase-3, the dying cells treated with CA074 were positive for terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate-biotin nick end-labeling staining but negative for activated caspase-3. Ultrastructurally, the cells were relatively large and had nuclei with chromatin condensation. The initiation of cell death by CA074 or the cathepsin B antisense were inhibited by the addition of pepstatin A, a lysosomal aspartic proteinase inhibitor, or by cathepsin D antisense. To examine whether this cell death pathway was present in cell types other than PC12 cells, we analysed dorsal root ganglion neurons obtained from rat embryos on the 15th gestational day, a time when they require nerve growth factor for survival and differentiation in culture. When cultured in the absence of nerve growth factor, the neurons survived in the presence of acetyl-DEVD-cho or acetyl-YVAD-cho. Under these conditions, CA074 reduced the survival rate of the neurons, which was subsequently restored by the further addition of pepstain A. These results suggest that a novel pathway for initiating cell death exists which is regulated by lysosomal cathepsins, and in which cathepsin D acts as a death factor. We speculate that this death-inducing activity is normally suppressed by cathepsin B.
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PMID:Regulation of a novel pathway for cell death by lysosomal aspartic and cysteine proteinases. 1033 74