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Biomedical subjects

J Travis

Publications and source records attributed to J Travis.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Biochemical mechanisms for disrupting the proteinase-proteinase inhibitor balance in tissues.

The regulation of proteolytic activity in tissues by members of the Serpin family of inhibitors is normally tightly controlled. However, numerous mechanisms are available for interrupting this process in pathological tissues by depleting functional inhibitory activity at inflammatory foci. These include a) saturation of inhibitory activity due to excessive proteinase release from inflammatory cells, b) oxidative inactivation of inhibitory activity, c) proteolytic inactivation of inhibitory activity by non-complexing proteinases. In an attempt to regain a normal inhibitor-proteinase balance, however, it is now known that both inhibitor: enzyme complexes and inactive forms of inhibitors can act as signalling agents for the resynthesis of functionally active proteins. Thus, during inflammatory episodes where the levels of functional inhibitors are continually being depleted, mechanisms are in place to signal either directly or indirectly for their resynthesis.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Regulation of synthesis of some proteinase inhibitors in human hepatoma cells HepG2 by cytokines, hepatocyte growth factor and retinoic acid.

Subconfluent monolayers of human hepatoma HepG2 cells were cultured for 2 days in serum-free DMEM containing 1 microM dexamethasone and human recombinant hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), retinoic acid (RA), IL-1, IL-6, LIF and mixtures of these factors. Incorporation of labelled thymidine was significantly decreased by IL-6, IL-1 and HGF but only slightly by LIF and RA. Synthesis of acute phase proteins secreted daily to the media was measured by electroimmunoassay with monospecific antisera. In addition, the synthesis and secretion of some proteinase inhibitors (alpha-1-proteinase inhibitor, alpha-1-antichymotrypsin, C1-inactivator, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor and pre-alpha-inhibitor) was evaluated by incorporation of labelled methionine and fluorography. Among the cytokines tested IL-6 was the most potent regulator of acute phase protein synthesis. Hepatocyte growth factor stimulated basal synthesis of alpha-1-antichymotrypsin, and to a lesser extent affected some other proteins. Retinoic acid preferentially increased synthesis of alpha-1-antichymotrypsin, ceruloplasmin and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. Both HGF and RA slightly modulated cytokine-induced synthesis of several acute phase proteins in HepG2 cells.

Acute-Phase Proteins↗
PubMed1993

The isoforms of human neutrophil elastase and cathepsin G differ in their carbohydrate side chain structures.

The two proteinases found in human neutrophil granules, elastase and cathepsin G, each are normally isolated as a mixture of isoforms differing only in carbohydrate content. Elastase has two N-glycosylation sites occupied (Asn-45 and Asn-144), whereas cathepsin G has only one (Asn-64). Analysis of a minor form of elastase (E-1) and cathepsin G (C-1) indicates that the carbohydrate structures at each glycosylation site are complex-type bi-antennary chains usually associated with secretory glycoproteins. In contrast, the isoforms E-3 and C-3, the major forms of elastase and cathepsin G respectively, contain exclusively truncated, oligomannose-type chains at the same positions in the sequence of each protein. These data suggest the possibility that certain elastase and cathepsin G isoforms (E-1 and C-1) might be destined for secretory, others (E-3 and C-3) for lysosomal functions.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

A novel chymotrypsin-like serine proteinase from human lung.

A novel chymotrypsin-like serine proteinase with an M(r) of 30,000 has been isolated from human lung tissue. The enzyme was active on both the synthetic substrate Suc-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe-SBzl and azocasein, with a pH optimum of 8.0 and a preference for high concentrations of NaCl for maximum activity. The proteinase was inhibited by diisopropylfluorophosphate, tosyl-phenylalanyl-chloromethane, chymostatin, soybean trypsin inhibitor, alpha-1-antichymotrypsin, and alpha-2-macroglobulin. It was not inhibited by C-1 inhibitor or aprotinin. An N-terminal sequence of IIGGTESKPDSRPYMALLQIVEPAVH indicated that this enzyme is a member of a superfamily of serine proteinases comprising cathepsin G, chymase, and the granzymes; however, it is clearly distinct from these enzymes on the basis of both physical and chemical properties.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Purification and characterization of a 50-kDa cysteine proteinase (gingipain) from Porphyromonas gingivalis.

Porphyromonas gingivalis, a Gram-negative anaerobic rod, has been closely associated with the initiation and progression of periodontal disease. This organism has been shown to produce a large number of proteolytic enzymes which can degrade a variety of tissue proteins, and these are considered to be major virulence factors. One of the proteinases produced by this organism, referred to as gingipain-1, has been purified to homogeneity from P. gingivalis culture medium by a combination of gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography. The enzyme was found to have a molecular mass near 50 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, a pH optimum in the neutral to alkaline range, and a requirement for cysteine for activation and Ca2+ for stabilization. Amino-terminal sequence analysis indicated that gingipain belongs to a new, so far unknown, subfamily of cysteine proteinases. Three unusual features of this proteinase are: (a) the stimulation of amidolytic activity by glycine-containing dipeptides; (b) a narrow specificity which is limited to peptide bonds containing arginine residues; and (c) resistance to inhibition by proteinase inhibitors in human plasma.

Adhesins, Bacterial↗
PubMed1992

Activation of complement components C3 and C5 by a cysteine proteinase (gingipain-1) from Porphyromonas (Bacteroides) gingivalis.

Complement components C3 and C5 are susceptible to limited proteolysis by an arginine-specific cysteine proteinase isolated from Porphyromonas gingivalis. This bacterium is an anaerobe commonly associated with severe periodontal disease. Infection by P. gingivalis is accompanied by an acute inflammatory response, complete with extensive neutrophil involvement. This prompted us to investigate a possible direct role for complement in periodontitis evoked by P. gingivalis. Exposure of C3 and C5 to the cysteine proteinase at molar ratios between 1:25 and 1:100 (enzyme to substrate ratios) resulted in a time-dependent, limited degradation of each component. C3 was converted in a stepwise manner to C3a-like and C3b-like fragments with evidence of extensive further degradation of the C3a-like portion of the molecule. We were unable to demonstrate C3a activity in the C3 digestion mixtures. C3 degradation appears to involve primarily the alpha-chain. Proteolysis of C5 also progresses in a stepwise manner producing an initial internal cleavage of the alpha-chain to generate 30- and 86-kDa fragments. Further digestion of the 86-kDa amino-terminal fragment of the alpha-chain leads to the release of C5a or a C5a-like fragment that is biologically active for neutrophil activation. The fact that a potent chemotactic factor, i.e. C5a, can be generated from C5 by a proteinase derived from P. gingivalis suggests a recruiting mechanism for attracting neutrophils to the gingival lesion site in periodontal disease.

Adhesins, Bacterial↗
PubMed1992

Crystal structure of cleaved equine leucocyte elastase inhibitor determined at 1.95 A resolution.

The crystal structure of active-site cleaved equine leucocyte elastase inhibitor, a member of the serpin superfamily, has been solved and refined to a crystallographic R-factor of 17.6% at 1.95 A resolution. Despite being an intracellular inhibitor with rather low sequence homology of 30% to human alpha 1-antichymotrypsin and alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor, the three-dimensional structures are very similar, with deviations only at the sites of insertions and few mobile secondary structure elements. The better resolution in comparison with the structures of other cleaved serpins allows a more precise description of the so-called R-state of the serpins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗