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Gene expression of proteases and protease inhibitors in the human ciliary epithelium and ODM-2 cells.

Complementary DNAs (cDNAs), corresponding to the human proteinases cathepsins D and O and proteinase inhibitors alpha2-macroglobulin and PP5/TFPI-2, have recently been isolated and identified from a subtractive human ciliary body library. In the present study we determined: (i) their pattern of expression in the human eye; (ii) the ability of the ciliary body and/or ciliary epithelial cells to synthesize and secrete cathepsin D and alpha1-antitrypsin in vitro; and (iii) whether alpha1-antitrypsin expression in cultured ciliary epithelial cells is modulated by protein kinase C activation. Northern analysis demonstrated that the ciliary body expresses high levels of cathepsins D and O, alpha2-macroglobulin, alpha1-antitrypsin and PP5/TFPI-2 transcripts. Western blot analysis and immunoprecipitation experiments with cathepsin D and alpha1-antitrypsin antibodies indicated that metabolically labeled ciliary body explants and/or ciliary epithelial cells in vitro with 35S-methionine, synthesize and secrete these proteins. Cultured nonpigmented ciliary epithelial ODM-2 cells, in response to phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), but not to the non-protein kinase C binding phorbol ester 4 alpha-phorbol didecanoate (PDBu), elicited up-regulation (up to 5-fold) of transcription, synthesis and secretion of alpha1-antitrypsin. These results provide in vitro evidence that the ciliary epithelium synthesizes and secretes a selective group of proteinases and proteinase inhibitors detected also in aqueous humor. The expression of at least of one of the proteinase inhibitors, alpha1-antitrypsin, can be modulated in response to phorbol ester.

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Calpain-calpastatin and fusion. Fusibility of erythrocytes is determined by a protease-protease inhibitor [calpain-calpastatin] balance.

Rat erythrocytes fuse when treated with the membrane mobility agent, 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl-cis-8-(2-octylcyclopropyl)octanoate (A2C) and Ca2+, whereas human cells do not. Membrane proteolysis promoted by calpain is required for rat cell fusion [(1986) Eur. J. Biochem., in press]. Human calpain induced a selective proteolysis in both the human and rat erythrocyte ghosts (mainly band 4.1 in the human, band 4.1 and band 3 in the rat cell) and rendered them fusible. Calpastatin (calpain inhibitor) prevented A2C-induced fusion in both ghosts, via inhibition of proteolysis. The human erythrocyte has excess calpastatin and resists A2C-promoted fusion. A regulatory role of calpastatin in membrane fusion is thus indicated.

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Synergistic interaction of a protease and protease inhibitors from Russell's viper (Vipera russelli) venom.

An acidic proteolytic enzyme, RVVX, was purified from Vipera russelli venom by successive chromatography on CM-Sephadex C-25, DEAE-cellulose and Sephadex G-100 columns. RVVX is a glycoprotein with a mol. wt of 79,000. It exhibited caseinolytic and factor X activating properties. Two trypsin inhibitors, TI-I and TI-II, were purified from V. russelli venom in a single step by CM-Sephadex C-25 column chromatography. The trypsin inhibitors interacted with the proteolytic enzyme RVVX. TI-I inhibited only the factor X activating property of RVVX while TI-II inhibited both, the caseinolytic and also factor X activating properties of RVVX. The edema inducing activity of RVVX increased markedly in the presence of non-edema inducing doses of TI-I and TI-II. RVVX, TI-I and TI-II were non-lethal in mice. The combination of RVVX and TI-II demonstrated enhanced toxicity.

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