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)

Expression, saturation, and endocytosis of IgA Fc receptors (Fc alpha R) were analyzed in blood phagocytic cells of patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis (ALC). Surface Fc alpha R expression was decreased in monocytes but not in neutrophils, as evaluated by IgA binding and anti-Fc alpha R mAb. The Fc alpha R of ALC patients were saturated by IgA1 and IgA2. ALC Fc alpha R had a higher M(r) (60 to 90 kDa) than those of controls (55 to 75 kDa) with a similar 32-kDa protein core after N-glycanase treatment, suggesting the expression of Fc alpha R molecules with altered carbohydrate moieties. Treatment of U937 cells with IFN-gamma induced a decrease of surface Fc alpha R expression in a dose-dependent manner, with a similar M(r) as observed for ALC patient Fc alpha R (60 to 90 kDa). Fc alpha R endocytosis was induced by anti-Fc alpha R or IgA. Neutrophils internalized Fc alpha R molecules faster than did monocytes. Endocytosed Fc alpha R co-localized with cathepsin D, suggesting an endolysosomal compartment pathway. In ALC monocytes, Fc alpha R endocytosis was defective, with nearly 50 to 60% of receptors detected on the cell surface even after 90 min at 37 degrees C. Similarly, delayed Fc alpha R endocytosis was observed on IFN-gamma-treated U937 cells as compared with PMA-activated cells. Defective internalization of surface-bound IgA with reflux of IgA to cell surface was also observed on ALC monocytes, but not on normal cells preincubated with patients' plasma, ruling out direct effects of IgA. The inverse correlation between monocyte Fc alpha R levels and serum IgA levels associated with defective endocytosis suggest that altered Fc alpha R expression might contribute to receptor saturation and generation of increased plasma levels of IgA and IgA-immune complexes in ALC patients.
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PMID:Altered expression of monocyte IgA Fc receptors is associated with defective endocytosis in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. Potential role for IFN-gamma. 763 20

IgA deposition in the glomerular mesangial matrix is a prerequisite for the diagnosis of IgA nephropathy, and circulating IgA-containing complex has been implicated in this process. Since fibronectin is known to be involved in the assembly of extracellular matrix, this study was conducted to investigate whether fibronectin and its fragments are present in sera of patients and are capable of binding IgA1. Sera from patients with IgA nephropathy were purified by heparin-affinity chromatography, and column eluate were analyzed for the presence of fibronectin using Western blot and a set of anti-fibronectin monoclonal antibodies. Native fibronectin was digested with cathepsin D to obtain fragments similar to those of serum fibronectin. The capacity of fibronectin to bind IgA was examined with a mixture of purified IgA1 and cathepsin D-digested fibronectin fragments. A 43-kD carboxy-terminal fragment of fibronectin was detected in samples derived from sera of patients with IgA nephropathy but not in healthy control subjects. A similar-sized fragment was generated by cathepsin D digestion of the native molecule and was shown to bind to IgA1 in vitro. Since the carboxy-terminal domain is known to be critical in assembling exogenous fibronectin into the extracellular matrix, the affinity to IgA1 to a fragment found in patients may have pathogenic potential to mediate extracellular IgA deposition in IgA nephropathy.
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PMID:IgA interaction with carboxy-terminal 43-kD fragment of fibronectin in IgA nephropathy. 1021 24