Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.24.3 (collagenase)
 18,340 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The collagenase from Clostridium histolyticum (EC 3.4.24.3) degrades type IV collagen with Km 32 nM, indicating a high affinity for this substrate. Ferrous and ferric ions can inhibit Clostridium collagenase. Inhibition by Fe++ was of the mixed, non-competitive type, with Ki 90 microM. The inhibitory effect of Fe++ may be due to Zn++ displacement from the intrinsic functional center of this metalloprotease, since in the presence of excess amounts of Zn++ enzyme activity is retained. This inhibitory effect of Fe++ may be common for all types of collagenases, since this ion can also inhibit type IV collagenase purified from Walker 256 carcinoma, with IC50 80 microM. Cu++ can only partially inhibit Clostridium collagenase, while other divalent metal ions such as Cd++, Co++, Hg++, Mg++, Ni++ or Zn++ are devoid of any inhibitory effect on the enzyme.
 ...
PMID:Effect of divalent metal ions on collagenase from Clostridium histolyticum. 166 43

Thyroid enlargement in response to chronic hypersecretion of TSH reflects the coordinated growth of both parenchyma and stroma. Because Wollman et al. observed in propylthiouracil-fed rats that enlargement and remodeling of thyroid capillaries were strictly localized around follicles, they hypothesized that growth of perifollicular blood vessels is stimulated by angiogenic factors secreted by neighboring follicular epithelial cells. In support of this hypothesis, we report that media conditioned by rat thyroid cells were very active in an in vitro angiogenesis bioassay that measures stimulation of endothelial cell migration through chemotaxis membranes in microwell Boyden chamber assemblies. Primary cultures of thyroid cells from collagenase-dispersed glands from male or female Holtzman rats fed 0.01% propylthiouracil in the drinking water released activity that produced up to 5-fold increases in endothelial cell migration rates relative to those in identical unconditioned medium. Thyroid-derived activity was primarily chemotactic (i.e. only weakly chemokinetic) to both rabbit aortic and microvascular endothelial cells. That endotheliotropic activity is derived from thyroid parenchyma is indicated by the finding that media conditioned by FRTL cells, a clonally derived thyroid follicular epithelial cell line, produced parallel chemoattractant responses. Thyroid-conditioned media were also chemoattractant to mouse BALB/c-3T3 cells, which have endothelial cell characteristics. In contrast, thyroid-conditioned media did not increase the high spontaneous migration rate of Walker rat sarcoma (WR256) cells. T4, T3, thyroglobulin, bovine fibroblast growth factor (alpha and beta), and media conditioned by rabbit endothelial cells were inactive. Chemoattractant activity in serum containing conditioned media was retained by both 10,000 and 30,000 mol wt cut-off (MWCO) ultrafilters. Activity in serum-free thyroid-conditioned media was largely retained by 10,000 MWCO filters, but only partially retained by 30,000 MWCO filters; activity in the 30,000 filtrate was recoverable in a 10,000 MWCO retentate. These findings support the hypothesis that capillary growth during thyroid enlargement occurs, at least in part, as a result of a parenchymal-stromal (epithelial-mesenchymal) paracrine interaction mediated by specific endotheliotropic (angiogenic) factors released by follicular epithelial cells and distinct from T3, T4, and thyroglobulin.
 ...
PMID:Thyroid angiogenesis: endotheliotropic chemoattractant activity from rat thyroid cells in culture. 244 58

The crucial role of non-plasminogen dependent serine proteinases is tissue invasive and cytolytic functions of Walker 256 cancer cells has been documented using a rat urinary bladder invasion and a 125I-labelled fibroblast cytolysis assay. The invasive capacity of these cancer cells was abrogated by non toxic concentrations of the serine proteinase inhibitors, diisopropylfluorophosphate and phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride, but not by metallo or cysteine proteinase inhibitors. Although tumour cell collagenase activity and plasminogen activator were demonstrated, these proteolytic enzymes were not essential in these in vitro assays. These results suggest that different categories of proteinases play specific roles in the complicated process of cancer invasion.
 ...
PMID:Role for different cell proteinases in cancer invasion and cytolysis. 299 66

A latent form of collagenase had been isolated from crude extracts of the insoluble, fibrous material from Walker tumor homogenates. Purified preparations of this enzyme yielded a major unit of Mr approximately 62000, as determined by gel filtration on AcA 54 Ultrogel. In its activated form collagenase had been purified to apparent homogeneity with an approximate Mr of 42000. The active enzyme cleaved soluble collagen into three-quarter and one-quarter length fragments in the manner of vertebrate collagenases. Latent collagenase from culture media eluted with an apparent Mr of 53000 and was thus slightly larger in size than its activated form that eluted at 42000. Extracted latent collagenase and latent collagenase from culture media could be activated enzymatically by trypsin or chymotrypsin and non-enzymatically by mersalyl, an organic mercurial compound. We suggest that latent collagenase from Walker tumors are complexes of active enzyme with inhibitor(s) of low molecular weight(s) and are not true zymogens.
 ...
PMID:Collagenase in the Walker 256 carcinoma. A study of the latent and active enzyme in vivo and in vitro. 627 77

In this paper the recognition of various rat tumor cells by rat liver cells is demonstrated in vitro. A liver cell receptor involved in the binding process has been identified. The ultrastructure of the cell contacts was examined by transmission electron microscopy. Hepatocytes and Kupffer cells were isolated from rat liver by collagenase treatment and cell adhesion tests were performed with 4 different tumor cells types. Hepatocytes were found to bind Walker sarcoma cells, lymphoma cells and Yoshida hepatoma cells but not leukemia 5222 cells. Kupffer cells bound all tumor cell types. Normal blood cells were not bound under the same conditions. Recognition of tumor cells by hepatocytes was mediated by a galactose specific lectin on the liver cell surface as shown by hapten inhibition experiments with specific saccharides. Although Kupffer cells express a similar lectin-like receptor adhesion of tumor cells could not or only slightly be inhibited by galactose or related saccharides. It is concluded that the spontaneous adhesion of tumor cells to liver cells in vitro is a specific recognition event which in part is mediated by lectin-carbohydrate interactions.
 ...
PMID:Galactosyl specific receptor on liver cells: binding site for tumor cells. 728 63