title: Meprin α and meprin β: Procollagen proteinases in health and disease.
abstract: Metalloproteases meprin α and meprin β were recently discovered as procollagen proteinases, capable of cleaving off the globular C- and N-terminal prodomains of fibrillar collagen type I and type III. This proteolytic process is indeed sufficient to induce collagen fibril assembly as visualized by transmission electron microscopy. The biological relevance was demonstrated with the help of meprin α and meprin β knock-out mice, which exhibit decreased collagen deposition in skin resulting in impaired tensile strength. On the other hand, overexpression of meprin metalloproteases was found under fibrotic conditions in the skin (keloids) and the lung (pulmonary hypertension). Thus, regulation of meprin activity by specific inhibition to reduce collagen maturation might be a suitable approach for the treatment of certain pathological conditions.
authors.affiliation: Unit for Degradomics of the Protease Web, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prox
authors.affiliation: Anatomical Institute, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.affiliation: Unit for Degradomics of the Protease Web, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany. Electronic address: cbeckerpauly@biochem.uni-kiel.de.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Becker-Pauly
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D024061:Collagen Type III / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000201:enzymology; D007627:Keloid / Q000201:enzymology; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D011347:Procollagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D013718:Tensile Strength
chemical_list: D024042:Collagen Type I; D024061:Collagen Type III; D011347:Procollagen; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; C053833:meprin A; C095663:meprin B
keywords: Collagen assembly; Fibrosis; Meprin α; Meprin β; Metalloprotease; Procollagen proteinase