title: Cathepsin L in metastatic bone disease: therapeutic implications.
abstract: Cathepsin L is a lysosomal cysteine proteinase primarily devoted to the metabolic turnover of intracellular proteins. However, accumulating evidence suggests that this endopeptidase might also be implicated in the regulation of other important biological functions, including bone resorption in normal and pathological conditions. These findings support the concept that cathepsin L, in concert with other proteolytic enzymes involved in bone remodeling processes, could contribute to facilitate bone metastasis formation. In support of this hypothesis, recent studies indicate that cathepsin L can foster this process by triggering multiple mechanisms which, in part, differ from those of the major cysteine proteinase of osteoclasts, namely cathepsin K. Therefore, cathepsin L can be regarded as an additional target in the treatment of patients with metastatic bone disease. This review discusses the clinical and therapeutic implications related to these findings.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Chemotherapy, Department of Surgery and Oncology, Policlinico Universitario P. Giaccone, I-90127 Palermo, Italy. gleto@unipa.it
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Leto
authors.forename: Maria Vittoria
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Sepporta
authors.forename: Marilena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Crescimanno
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Flandina
authors.forename: Francesca Maria
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Tumminello
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D056657:Cathepsin K / Q000378:metabolism; D056668:Cathepsin L / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis
chemical_list: D056668:Cathepsin L; D056657:Cathepsin K