title: In vitro activation of pro-cathepsin B by three serine proteinases: leucocyte elastase, cathepsin G, and the urokinase-type plasminogen activator.
abstract: In vitro activation of pro-cathepsin B purified from ascitic fluid of ovarian carcinomas by serine proteinases was studied. Both elastase and cathepsin G from human leucocytes were found to be activators, on the basis of generation of cathepsin B activity and processing of the precursor. These results represent a new cooperative pathway between cancer cells and host cells. The urokinase-type plasminogen activator activated pro-cathepsin B faster than leucocyte proteinases. A new relationship is emerging between the cysteine proteinases and the plasmin-activation system. Both pathways suggest an important role of cathepsin B in the proteolytic cascade associated with tumour invasion.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de biochimie, équipe associée à l'Ura 1460 CNRS, Faculté de Médecine Broussais Hotel-Dieu, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dalet-Fumeron
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Guinec
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pagano
mesh_terms: D001201:Ascites / Q000201:enzymology; D002401:Cathepsin B / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D056649:Cathepsin G; D002403:Cathepsins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004792:Enzyme Precursors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000378:metabolism*; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism*; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004792:Enzyme Precursors; D002403:Cathepsins; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; C534094:CTSG protein, human; D056649:Cathepsin G; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator; C057832:procathepsin B; D002401:Cathepsin B