title: Cathepsin S: therapeutic, diagnostic, and prognostic potential.
abstract: Cathepsin S is a member of the cysteine cathepsin protease family. It is a lysosomal protease which can promote degradation of damaged or unwanted proteins in the endo-lysosomal pathway. Additionally, it has more specific roles such as MHC class II antigen presentation, where it is important in the degradation of the invariant chain. Unsurprisingly, mis-regulation has implicated cathepsin S in a variety of pathological processes including arthritis, cancer, and cardiovascular disease, where it becomes secreted and can act on extracellular substrates. In comparison to many other cysteine cathepsin family members, cathepsin S has uniquely restricted tissue expression and is more stable at a neutral pH, which supports its involvement and importance in localised disease microenvironments. In this review, we examine the known involvement of cathepsin S in disease, particularly with respect to recent work indicating its role in mediating pain, diabetes, and cystic fibrosis. We provide an overview of current literature with regards cathepsin S as a therapeutic target, as well as its role and potential as a predictive diagnostic and/or prognostic marker in these diseases.
authors: Richard D A
authors: RD
authors: Wilkinson
authors: Rich
authors: R
authors: Williams
authors: Christopher J
authors: CJ
authors: Scott
authors: Roberta E
authors: RE
authors: Burden
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001168:Arthritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002403:Cathepsins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D002403:Cathepsins; C028217:cathepsin S