The Uptake of Heparanase into Mast Cells Is Regulated by Its Enzymatic Activity to Degrade Heparan Sulfate.

Mast cells take up extracellular latent heparanase and store it in secretory granules. The present study examined whether the enzymatic activity of heparanase regulates its uptake efficiency. Recombinant mouse heparanase mimicking both the latent and mature forms (L-Hpse and M-Hpse, respectively) was internalized into mastocytoma MST cells, peritoneal cell-derived mast cells, and bone marrow-derived mast cells.

A new algorithm to convert a normal antibody into the corresponding catalytic antibody.

Over thousands of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have been produced so far, and it would be valuable if these mAbs could be directly converted into catalytic antibodies. We have designed a system to realize the above concept by deleting Pro, a highly conserved residue in CDR-3 of the antibody light chain. The deletion of Pro is a key contributor to catalytic function of the light chain.