title: ADAMTS-1 is an active metalloproteinase associated with the extracellular matrix.
abstract: Cellular disintegrin and metalloproteinases (ADAMs) are a family of genes with a sequence similar to the snake venom metalloproteinases and disintegrins. ADAMTS-1 is a unique ADAM family protein with respect to the presence of thrombospondin type I motifs and the capacity to bind to the extracellular matrix. Because ADAMTS-1 has a potential zinc-binding motif in the metalloproteinase domain, we examined in this study whether ADAMTS-1 is an active metalloproteinase by means of the proteinase trapping mechanism of alpha2-macroglobulin. We found that the soluble type of ADAMTS-1 protein is able to form a covalent-binding complex with alpha2-macroglobulin. Furthermore, the point mutation within the zinc-binding motif of ADAMTS-1 protein eliminates its capacity to bind to alpha2-macroglobulin. These data demonstrate that the metalloproteinase domain of ADAMTS-1 is catalytically active. In addition, we showed that the removal of the pro-domain from the ADAMTS-1 precursor is impaired in the furin-deficient cell line, LoVo, and that the processing ability of the cells is restored by the co-expression of the furin cDNA. These data provide evidence that the ADAMTS-1 precursor is processed in vivo by furin endopeptidase in the secretory pathway. Consequently, ADAMTS-1 is an active metalloprotease that is associated with the extracellular matrix. This study strongly suggests that ADAMTS-1 may play a role in the inflammatory process through its protease activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0934, Japan. kkuno@kenroku.kanazawa-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kuno
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Terashima
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsushima
mesh_terms: D051722:ADAM Proteins; D000071097:ADAMTS1 Protein; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D019556:COS Cells; D019483:Disintegrins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000201:enzymology*; D006031:Glycosylation; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011485:Protein Binding; D012995:Solubility; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism; D000511:alpha-Macroglobulins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019483:Disintegrins; D000511:alpha-Macroglobulins; D051722:ADAM Proteins; D000071097:ADAMTS1 Protein; C103859:ADAMTS1 protein, human; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; D015032:Zinc