title: Effect of heavy metal cations on the activity of cathepsin D (in vitro study).
abstract: We studied the effect of heavy metal cations: Fe²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, Hg²⁺, Pb²⁺ on the activity of cathepsin D in human aorta homogenate and blood serum. The concentration of cations was 1 mmol/l. Hemoglobin was the cathepsin D substrate. The activity of cathepsin D was determined at pH 3.5. Only Hg²⁺ cations inhibit the activity of cathepsin D. Cations Hg²⁺ damage lysosomes and release cathepsin D from these organelles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Medical University of Bialystok, Poland. alicja.karwowska@umb.edu.pl
authors.forename: Alicja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karwowska
authors.forename: Radosław
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Łapiński
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gacko
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grzegorczyk
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Żurawska
authors.forename: Jan K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Karczewski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002402:Cathepsin D / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D002412:Cations; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D002412:Cations; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D002402:Cathepsin D