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Biomedical subjects

N Katunuma

Publications and source records attributed to N Katunuma.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Inhibition of tryptase TL2 from human T4+ lymphocytes and inhibition of HIV-1 replication in H9 cells by recombinant aprotinin and bikunin homologues.

The serine esterase TL2 from human T4+ lymphocytes is a binding component to HIV-1 glycoprotein gp120 and seems to play a role in the HIV-1 infection mechanism. Recombinant variants of the Kunitz-type serine proteinase inhibitor aprotinin were investigated for their ability to inhibit tryptase TL2 and the binding of gp120 to this enzyme. Furthermore, the viral replication of HIV-1 was investigated H9 cell cultures under the influence of recombinant aprotinin and bikunin variants. In contrast to native aprotinin, the recombinant variant [Arg15, Phe17, Glu52] aprotinin with a reactive-site sequence homologous to the V3 loop of HIV-1 gp120 showed a specific inhibition of tryptase TL2 (> 80%). However, the [Leu15, Phe17, Glu52] aprotinin variant with hydrophobic subsites was the most potent inhibitor of the binding of gp120 to tryptase TL2 (68%). Our results show that the enzyme activity of purified tryptase TL2 is inhibited not only by variants with basic amino acids, but also those with hydrophobic residues in the reactive-site region. Therefore, tryptase TL2 is not a typical trypsin-like or chymotrypsin-like protease. Investigations on inhibition of HIV-1 replication in H9 cell cultures showed that tryptase TL2 is involved in the mechanism of virus internalization into human lymphocytes. The [Leu15, Phe17, Glu52] aprotinin showed a significant retardation of syncytium formation over a period of 5 days in a 1 micro M concentration. Similar investigations were performed with recombinant variants of bikunin, the light chain of human inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor. Only the single-headed variant [Arg94] delta 2 bikunin inhibited slightly the syncytium formation over a period of 2 days in a 2.2 micro M concentration. Wild-type bikunin and all full-length variants showed no effect, possibly due to steric hindrance by the second domain of the double-headed inhibitor.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Cathepsin B-inhibitor promotes the development of Th1 type protective T cells in mice infected with Leishmania major.

BALB/c mice are genetically susceptible to infection with Leishmania major (L major). When such mice infected with L. major were treated with specific inhibitors of cathepsin B, a lysosomal cysteine protease that digests exogenous antigenic proteins, the mice acquired resistance against L. major infection. T cells from these mice produced large amounts of IFN-gamma and low amounts of IL-4 as compared with those of untreated BALB/c mice. In addition, the mice treated with cathepsin B inhibitor produced a high titer of IgG2a specific antibodies and only low titers of IgG1 and IgE antibodies. This type of response is in contrast with the high specific IgG1 or IgE antibody responses which are the usual antibody responses in BALB/c mice infected with L. major. These findings indicate that cathepsin B may be critically involved in processing antigens of L. major to promote exclusively the development of Th2 type CD 4+T cell responses.

Animals↗

Inhibitory mechanisms of H(+)-ATPase inhibitor bafilomycin A1 and carbonic anhydrase II inhibitor acetazolamide on experimental bone resorption.

The effects of the vacuolar-type H(+)-ATPase inhibitor bafilomycin A1 (baf.A1) and the carbonic anhydrase II inhibitor acetazolamide (AZ) on bone resorption and procathepsin L secretion of rat osteoclasts were investigated using the bone slice assay method, pit formation test. Baf.A1 completely suppressed osteoclastic bone resorption stimulated by parathyroid hormone (PTH), but did not affect procathepsin L secretion, while AZ suppressed both bone resorption and procathepsin L secretion. These findings suggest that bone resorption by procathepsin L secretion and its processing are regulated by proton production and proton secretion.

Acetazolamide↗

Filaggrin linker segment peptide and cystatin alpha are parts of a complex of the cornified envelope of epidermis.

We showed that filaggrin linker segment peptide (FLSP) is a glutamine-rich substrate of epidermal transglutaminase (TGase), conjugating enzymatically with a phosphorylated cystatin alpha (P-cystatin alpha) which is a lysine-rich substrate of the enzyme. This finding suggested that FLSP would be a component of cornified envelope of the epidermis as well as P-cystatin alpha. Here, we investigated the in vivo location of FLSP. An antibody against the peptide conjugated with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (FLSP/KLH) reacted specifically with FLSP on immunoblots. Immunofluorescence histochemistry located specific staining with this antibody on keratohyalin granules and the cell membrane region of the stratum corneum. Specific staining was not detected when the antiserum was first absorbed by FLSP. Preembedding immunoelectron microscopic analysis showed that anti-FLSP/KLH antibody labeled with gold particles reacted with cornified envelope prepared from newborn rat stratum corneum. The high molecular weight protein enzymatically synthesized from phosphorylated cystatin alpha and FLSP by TGase reacted with both anti-FLSP/KLH antibody and anti-P-cystatin alpha antibody on Western blotting. These findings suggest that the FLSP-cystatin alpha conjugate is a component of the cornified envelope of the epidermis in rats.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Secretion and processing mechanisms of procathepsin L in bone resorption.

Secretion of procathepsin L into the culture medium from a bone cell mixture was markedly enhanced by addition of parathyroid hormone (PTH), 1 alpha,25-(OH)2D3 or tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha). These stimulators of secretion of procathepsin L enhanced bone pit formation, which was inhibited by E-64, but not by CA-074, a specific inhibitor of cathepsin B. Procathepsin L may thus participate in the process of bone collagenolysis during bone resorption. Procathepsin L partially purified from rat long bones under cold conditions was rapidly converted to the mature form under acidic conditions at room temperature. This conversion was inhibited by E-64, suggesting that the procathepsin L secreted into lacunae is catalytically converted to the mature enzyme by cysteine proteinase(s).

Animals↗

Crystal structure of cathepsin B inhibited with CA030 at 2.0-A resolution: A basis for the design of specific epoxysuccinyl inhibitors.

Crystals of cysteine protease human cathepsin B inhibited with CA030 (ethyl ester of epoxysuccinyl-Ile-Pro-OH) [Murata, M., et al. (1991) FEBS Lett. 280, 307-310; Towatari, T., et al. (1991) FEBS Lett. 280, 311-315] were isomorphous to a previous published structure of cathepsin B [Musil, D., et al. (1991) EMBO J. 10, 2321-2330]. The crystal structure of the complex was refined at 2.0-A resolution to an R-value of 0.194. CA030 is well-defined in the electron density. The Ile-Pro-OH part of CA030 mimics a substrate P1' and P2' residues. The structure thus reveals for the first time a substratelike interaction in the S1' and S2' sites of a papain-like cysteine protease. The CA030 ethyl ester group occupies the S2 site. The structure confirms the role of residues His 110 and His 111 as the receptors of a peptidic substrate C-terminal carboxylic group. The structure suggests that an epoxysuccinyl fragment can be used to extend binding into primed and nonprimed substrate binding sites of a papain-like cysteine protease.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Increase of cyclin B by overexpression of cystatin alpha.

Degradation of cyclin B was effectively suppressed when cells were treated with ALLN (N-acetylleucylleucylnorleucinal) which inhibits proteasome, calpain and cysteine proteinase cathepsins. In order to examine which protease degrades cyclin B, the effect of a cathepsin inhibitor, cystatin alpha, was investigated. The cystatin alpha gene was inserted into an inducible expression vector, pMSG, and transfected into NIH3T3 mouse fibroblasts. The expression of cystatin alpha was induced effectively in the transfected cells after treatment with dexamethasone. Overexpression of cystatin alpha resulted in an increase of the amount of cyclin B, suggesting that cysteine proteinase cathepsins might be involved in the degradation of cyclin B.

3T3 Cells↗

Inhibition of growth and cysteine proteinase activity of Staphylococcus aureus V8 by phosphorylated cystatin alpha in skin cornified envelope.

The activity of a cysteine proteinase purified from Staphylococcus aureus V8 (SAV8) was inhibited by phosphorylated cystatin alpha (P-cystatin alpha) and by purified cornified envelope protein of newborn rat, a conjugated form of P-cystatin alpha. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated a marked decrease in P-cystatin alpha content in cornified envelope treated with sphingosine. The inhibition of papain activity by proteins from sphingosine-treated skin was much weaker than that exerted by proteins from the untreated skin. The suppression of SAV8 colony formation inoculated on the sphingosine-treated skin was examined. Colony formation on the sphingosine-treated skin was enhanced compared to that on normal skin. These findings suggest that P-cystatin alpha in the cornified envelope may have a bacteriostatic barrier function against bacterial infection, such as that with SAV8.

Animals↗

Immunological significances of invariant chain from the aspect of its structural homology with the cystatin family.

The primary structure of p31 of invariant chain (Ii-chain) shows about 50% homology with those of the cystatin family which are endogenous cysteine protease inhibitors. The binding domains between Ii-chain and HLA-DR-7 were estimated from the structural homology between cystatin and Ii-chain and also between cathepsins and DR-7, respectively. The QL64-71 and GS76-88 of Ii-chain were estimated to be the binding domains with GG45-51 and VS57-63 of HLA-DR7, respectively. The purified human Ii-chain from spleen is capable of forming four molecular forms from monomer to tetramer by redox-potential dependent disulfide bond formation. The Ii-chain inhibits cathepsin L and H competitively as a dimer and the K(i) value for cathepsin L was 4.1 x 10(-8) M, but cathepsin B was not inhibited at all. The Ii-chain showed mainly a dimer (60 kDa) under the assay condition of cathepsins with cysteine and was not degraded by these cathepsins. The Ii-chain may play an important role in the regulation of antigenic peptide presentation to MHC class II.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The mechanisms and regulation of procathepsin L secretion from osteoclasts in bone resorption.

The secretion mechanisms of cathepsin L from osteoclasts in the process of bone resorption were investigated. The increases in bone pit numbers formed take place by PTH addition in parallel with the increases of cathepsin L and/or L-like proteinase activities in the culture medium of bone cells, and these were suppressed by the addition of calcitonin. The Z-Phe-Arg-MCA hydrolysing activity increased in the medium through the effect of PTH is considered to be a kind of procathepsin L by Western blotting analysis, and was suppressed by calcitonin addition. Furthermore, monensin inhibited not only the PTH-induced pit formation, but also cysteine proteinase activity in osteoclasts. Therefore, the procathepsin L excreted might be transferred from endothelial reticulum via Golgi and/or via lysosomes.

Animals↗

Linkage between phosphorylated cystatin alpha and filaggrin by epidermal transglutaminase as a model of cornified envelope and inhibition of cathepsin L activity by cornified envelope and the conjugated cystatin alpha.

Lysine-rich phosphorylated cystatin alpha (P-cystatin alpha) from newborn rat epidermis is a good substrate for epidermal transglutaminase (TGase) and also one of the component proteins of cornified envelope in the stratum corneum. Since the filaggrin linker segment peptide was efficiently conjugated with P-cystatin alpha and was mediated by epidermal TGase in the presence of Ca2+ ions, filaggrin is a candidate for the glutamine-rich linkage protein to conjugate with lysine-rich P-cystatin alpha. A conjugated protein was found by epidermal TGase in the activated condition with Ca2+ ions and dithiothreitol. In contrast, the conjugated protein was not formed under chelated conditions with EDTA. The conjugated protein reacted positively with anti-P-cystatin alpha polyclonal antibody (PoAb). The conjugated protein and purified cornified envelope showed an inhibitory effect against papain and cathepsin L, but cathepsin B and H were not inhibited by these P-cystatin alpha conjugates. Although the component protein, P-cystatin alpha itself, inhibited cathepsin H strongly, these conjugated proteins inhibited specifically the cathepsin L family. The amino acid composition of cornified envelope protein and the conjugated protein of P-cystatin alpha and filaggrin linker segment peptide was not completely the same. The conjugated protein of P-cystatin alpha and filaggrin linker segment peptide showed the same inhibitory properties against cysteine proteinases as the cornified envelope. These findings suggest that the linkage protein between P-cystatin alpha and filaggrin linker segment peptide may be considered a model of cornified envelope, although skin cornified envelope may be conjugated with some additional proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Chromaffin cells express Alzheimer amyloid precursor protein in the same manner as brain cells.

Amyloid precursor protein (APP) 695 is remarkably expressed in the brain as compared with APP751 and APP770 which are dominant in other tissues. This study showed that human and bovine adrenal medullae dominantly expressed mRNA of APP695 as do brain nerve cells, while the adrenal cortexes expressed mRNAs of APP751 and APP770 as in other non-neural tissues. In immunohistochemistry, chromaffin cells of young rat adrenal medullae and primary cultured bovine chromaffin cells were significantly stained with a monoclonal antibody (mAb) against the common domain of the amino-terminal side of human APPs. At higher magnification, the immunostained cells revealed that APP was granularly distributed not only in the perikaryon but also in the cell processes. These results suggest that primary cultured chromaffin cells representing the state of adrenal medulla in vivo are a useful model for studying the pathophysiological functions of APPs and the mechanism of processing of APPs as a model of neuronal systems.

Adrenal Cortex↗

Inhibitors of chymotrypsin-like proteases inhibit eosinophil peroxidase release from activated human eosinophils.

Eosinophils contain many cytotoxic mediators including eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) in their granules; on degranulation, these mediators are released by various pathophysiological stimuli, resulting in severe tissue damage. However, little is known about inhibitors of degranulation. Here, we report that eosinophils isolated from patients with bronchial asthma have significant chymotrypsin-like serine protease activity in the high salt extract fraction. The protease partially purified and labeled with [3H]diisopropylfluorophosphate has an apparent molecular mass of 28 kDa on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The chymotrypsin-like protease was not immunoreactive with antibodies against chymase and atypical chymase from rat mast cells or with an antibody against cathepsin G from human neutrophils. Studies on the subcellular distribution of the chymotrypsin-like protease indicated that the enzyme is mainly localized with EPO in eosinophil granules. Chymostatin, an inhibitor of the chymotrypsin-like protease(s), but not an inhibitor of other types of proteases, markedly inhibited the EPO release from eosinophils that was induced by immunoglobulin G plus rIL-5 or platelet-activating factor, although it had no effect on the release of EPO induced by the calcium ionophore A23187. These results suggest that proteolytic activation by chymotrypsin-like serine protease(s) in eosinophils plays some role in the process of receptor-mediated EPO release from the granules.

Affinity Labels↗

Meprin is predominantly involved in parathyroid hormone degradation by the microvillar membranes of rat kidney.

Hydrolysis of fragments of the C-terminal and mid-portions of parathyroid hormone (PTH) by a phosphoramidon-insensitive metallo-endopeptidase, previously purified by us from the microvillar membranes of rat kidney, and by the microvillar membranes of rat kidney themselves were investigated using a reverse-phase HPLC, and the amino acid sequences of each produced PTH metabolite were compared after their determination with an automated gas-phase protein sequencer. The results showed that both the purified microvillar endopeptidase and the microvillar membranes of rat kidney limited hydrolyzed human (h) PTH-(39-84) and hPTH-(39-68) mainly at peptide bonds flanked by a hydrophilic amino acid residue, where are characteristic for the purified microvillar endopeptidase but not for other known endopeptidase including endopeptidase 24.11. In addition, most of PTH metabolites generated by the microvillar membranes were insensitive to phosphoramidon and had amino acid sequences identical to those generated by the purified microvillar endopeptidase, indicating that these metabolites were produced by the enzyme integrated in the membranes. Since analysis of the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified microvillar endopeptidase revealed that it was structurally identical to rat meprin (EC 3.4.24.18), these results indicate that the purified microvillar endopeptidase or meprin is predominantly involved in PTH degradation by the microvillar membranes of rat kidney as an integral membrane protein.

Amino Acid Sequence↗