Human chronic kidney allograft rejection is accompanied by increased intraglomerular cathepsin B and L activity.
The major reason for late graft losses is chronic rejection. Recently, a large number of studies have indicated that proteolytic enzymes play an important role as mediators of glomerular injury. The cysteine proteinases cathepsins B and L degrade structural matrix proteins such as type I collagen and laminin. We investigated intraglomerular protease activities in 12 patients after kidney graftectomy because of end-stage renal disease following chronic rejection. A group of 12 patients undergoing nephrectomy because of cancer served as controls using only non-involved parts of the kidney. The activities of cathepsins B and L in homogenates of isolated glomeruli were measured fluorometrically methylcoumarylamide substrates and related to DNA content. In rejected kidney allografts we observed significantly enhanced intraglomerular cathepsin B activity and cathepsin B + L activity.
Transplantation Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
L
L
Paczek
J
J
Pazik
M
M
Teschner
R M
RM
Schaefer
W
W
Rowinski
J
J
Szmidt
M
M
Lao
K
K
Abgarowicz
L
L
Gradowska
M
M
Morzycka-Michalik
A
A
Heidland
D000328:Adult; D002401:Cathepsin B / Q000378:metabolism*; D056668:Cathepsin L; D002403:Cathepsins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D010450:Endopeptidases; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D012086:Reoperation; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D004247:DNA; D002403:Cathepsins; D010450:Endopeptidases; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; D002401:Cathepsin B; C534281:CTSL protein, human; D056668:Cathepsin L