title: The role of cathepsin D in pathogenesis of acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis.
abstract: Cathepsin D activity has been studied by a fluoremetric assay in the urine of acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritic (APSGN) patients aged from 3 to 14 years and has been found elevated when compared with four groups of controls. This activity cannot be accounted for by erythrocytes and/or leukocytes in the urine of these patients since haematuric and pyuric controls did not exhibit an amount of enzyme activity greater than the normal control group. Cathepsin D activity can be attributed to lysosomal enzymes released from polymorphonuclear leukocytes which are in close contact with glomerular basement membrane. Complement C3 levels in serum and cathepsin D activity in urine of these patients showed no correlation.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D002403:Cathepsins / Q000652:urine*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000032:analysis; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D003176:Complement C3; D002403:Cathepsins