title: Biochemical and immunohistochemical study on physiological activity and distribution of hepatic cathepsin D.
abstract: Cathepsin D (EC 3.4.23.5) is a lysosomal endopeptidase physiologically present at very low concentration in different tissues. The aim of the study was to estimate the physiological activity and distribution of cathepsin D in the liver. Four groups of ten-week-old male Wistar rats were raised without xenobiotics and sacrificed on day 4, 42, 47 and 84 of the experiment, and their livers were taken for immunohistochemical and biochemical investigation. Immunostaining for cathepsin D was evaluated by light microscope. Activity of the free and bound fractions of hepatic cathepsin D was measured spectrophotometrically. Immunohistochemical staining for cathepsin D was positive in Browicz-Kupffer cells in some but not in all rat liver specimens of each experimental group. The staining pattern was cytoplasmic and granular. Occasionally the positive stained endothelial cells were also found. No activity of cathepsin D in hepatocytes was detected. The positive immunostaining was found in livers with high enzyme activity in the biochemical investigation. No significant differences in activity of the free and bound fractions of cathepsin D among the different age groups were noted. However, the higher, age-dependent activity (p>0.05) of the free fraction was observed in the youngest and the two-middle groups of rats that were sacrificed on day 42 and 47 than in the oldest one. The bound fraction did not reveal such changes. It could be concluded that there were no differences in the activity of hepatic free and bound fractions of cathepsin D in male Wistar rats of various reproductive age. The rat Browicz-Kupffer cells revealed the highest activity of cathepsin D.
authors.affiliation: Experimental Teratology Unit, Human Anatomy Department, Medical University of Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Burdan
authors.forename: Justyna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Szumilo
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Korobowicz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dudka
authors.forename: Elzbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Korobowicz
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wallner
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maciejewski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002402:Cathepsin D / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D002402:Cathepsin D