title: Alterations in membrane-associated CD14 expression and the simultaneous liberation of soluble CD14 fragment in adherent macrophages mediated by a leukocyte carboxyl/aspartate protease.
abstract: Investigations sought to discover the biochemical mechanisms in macrophages that mediate the 'shedding' of soluble CD14 fragment. Stimulated macrophages display both increased liberation of soluble CD14 fragment and decreases in residual membrane-associated CD14 complexes following exposure to activating agents (fMLP/A23187). Application of 'class-specific' protease inhibitors revealed that a thiol/cysteine was involved in the biochemical production of soluble CD14 fractions and that a metalloprotease enzymatically degraded soluble CD14 fragment. Exposure of macrophages to individual proteases revealed that both cathepsin-D and elastase promoted variable depletion of membrane-associated CD14 complexes. Additionally, cathepsin-D, and to a lesser extent elastase, generated soluble CD14 fragment. Related studies isolated a carboxyl/aspartate protease from activated macrophages using pepstatin-A affinity chromatography. The physical and functional properties of macrophage pepstatin-A binding protein fractions closely corresponded with the known characteristics of cathepsin-D with respect to: (i) cellular origin; (ii) binding-avidity of carboxyl/aspartate proteases for pepstatin-A; (iii) non-specific proteolysis of haemoglobin detected by Hb-PAGE zymography; and (iv) hydrolysis of a synthetic cathepsin-D-specific peptide substrate. Interpretation of these findings collectively implies that activated leukocytes can biochemically alter membrane-associated CD14 complex expression and promote the liberation of soluble CD14 fragment in both activated and non-activated cell populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi 39762, USA. coyne@cvm.msstate.edu
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Coyne
authors.forename: Trey
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Howell
authors.forename: Hrvoje
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Smodlaka
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Willetto
authors.forename: Brad W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Fenwick
authors.forename: Erle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chenney
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D000001:Calcimycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002402:Cathepsin D / Q000494:pharmacology; D002417:Cattle; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008262:Macrophage Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009240:N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000494:pharmacology; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D000001:Calcimycin; D009240:N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; D002402:Cathepsin D