title: Activity of Cathepsin B in Serum of Patients after Kidney Transplantation Depends on Glucocorticosteroids Treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Kidney diseases are characterized by deterioration of the function of this organ, often leading to irreversible failure, where transplantation is the only alternative to permanent dialysis. Proteolytic enzymes, including cathepsins B, cleave the peptide bond by hydrolysis reaction. They are also involved in pathological processes such as carcinogenesis and inflammatory processes. The aim of this study was to determine the activity of cathepsin B in the serum of patients after kidney transplantation and to assess the correlation with glucocorticosteroids treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the study, blood samples of 100 renal transplant recipients were used. The subjects were divided into groups according to the time elapsed since transplantation and the use of steroids in the current and primary treatment. Enzyme activity was measured by spectrofluorometric technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study showed significant correlations of cathepsin B with the time since renal transplantation (p<0.05) and steroid used in the primary and current treatment. Steroid treatment is associated with a decrease of the activity of cathepsin B in serum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The obtained results show decreasing activity of cathepsin B with longer time elapsed since transplantation. We have shown that steroids decrease activity of cathepsin B after renal transplantation. A significant increase in cathepsin B activity is observed mainly in cancer and atherosclerosis. Decreased activity of cathepsin B is probably due to the stabilizing action of steroids on the lysosomal membrane. The impact of steroid therapy for patients with these diseases appears to be significant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Transplantology and Internal Disease, Transplantation Institute, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Korytowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Transplantology and Internal Diseases, Transplantation Institute, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wyczałkowska-Tomasik
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Transplantology and Internal Diseases, Transplantation Institute, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Emilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Krzemińska
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Nursing, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery and Transplantation, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sieńko
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery and Transplantation, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kotowski
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery and Transplantation, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nowacki
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioanalysis and Drugs Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wroczyński
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Transplantology and Internal Diseases, Transplantation Institute, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Leszek
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pączek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002401:Cathepsin B / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000201:enzymology*; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000601:surgery; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D002401:Cathepsin B