New biological functions of intracellular proteases and their endogenous inhibitors as bioreactants.
Many unexpected biological functions as bioreactants of the intracellular proteases and their endogenous inhibitors have been found recently. Chymase and tryptase in histamine granules of mast cells and basophile cells play an important role in the process of IgE-mediated degranulation and in the formation of an allergic inflammation profile. Furthermore, the relationship between membrane proteases and their endogenous inhibitor has been taken up as a key and key-hole relation which plays an important role for special recognition apparatus of biological information like the relation of peptide hormones (growth factors) and their specific receptors. Amino acid sequences of the active site of trypstatin are homologous with the neutralizing epitope beta of gp120 of AIDS virus (HIV-1). The trypstatin and anti-tryptase M antibody inhibited syncytium formation in HIV infected Molt 4, clone 8 cells. Therefore, the relationship between tryptase M with trypstatin and the recognition site of epitope beta of HIV-1 with the receptor of helper T-cells are the common keys. The precursor of Alzheimer's deposition protein contains a Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor domain. The A4-precursor proteins are located in axons of pyramidal neurons in brain and secretory granules of chromaffin cells in adrenal medulla. Those may be secreted into the extracellular milieu. We propose that the A4 inhibitor inhibits a special type of tryptase in the brain and disturbs the complete degradation of secreted A4-precursor protein causing amyloid deposition in alzheimer disease by abnormal proteolysis. Human c-Ha-ras p21 shows 58% homology with cystatin beta, an endogenous inhibitor of cathepsin. Actually, p21 inhibits cathepsin L specifically, but not cathepsin H, papain and cathepsin B. However, the metabolic significance of this inhibitory activity is still unknown.
University of Tokushima, Institute for Enzyme Research, Japan.
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Katunuma
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D011487:Protein Conformation; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases