Galactosialidosis is a human lysosomal storage disease caused by deficiency in the multifunctional lysosomal protease cathepsin A (also known as protective protein/cathepsin A, PPCA, catA, HPP, and CTSA; EC 3.4.16.5). Previous structural work on the inactive precursor human cathepsin A (zymogen) led to a two-stage model for activation, where proteolysis of a 1.6-kDa excision peptide is followed by a conformational change in a blocking peptide occluding the active site. Here we present evidence for an alternate model of activation of human cathepsin A, needing only cleavage of a 3.3-kDa excision peptide to yield full enzymatic activity, with no conformational change required. We present x-ray crystallographic, mass spectrometric, amino acid sequencing, enzymatic, and cellular data to support the cleavage-only activation model. The results clarify a longstanding question about the mechanism of cathepsin A activation and point to new avenues for the design of mechanism-based inhibitors of the enzyme.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4002070 | PMC |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M113.524280 | DOI Listing |
Viruses
December 2024
Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Hypertension, and Renal Transplantation, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA.
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for causing the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. While mutations cause the emergence of new variants, the ancestral SARS-CoV-2 strain is unique among other strains. Various clinical parameters, the activity of cathepsin proteases, and the concentration of various proteins were measured in urine samples from COVID-19-negative participants and COVID-19-positive participants.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMolecules
January 2025
Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark, 206 Kemitorvet, 2800 Kgs Lyngby, Denmark.
A human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-specific nanobody called 2Rs15d, containing a His3LysHis6 segment at the C-terminus, was recombinantly produced. Subsequent site-selective acylation on the C-terminally activated lysine residue allowed installation of the cytotoxin monomethyl auristatin E-functionalized cathepsin B-sensitive payload to provide a highly homogenous nanobody-drug conjugate (NBC), which demonstrated high potency and selectivity for HER2-positive breast cancer models.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiomolecules
December 2024
Section of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, School of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 157 01 Athens, Greece.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder characterized by extracellular amyloid plaques, predominantly consisting of amyloid- (A) peptides. The oligomeric form of A is acknowledged as the most neurotoxic, propelling the pathological progression of AD. Interestingly, besides A, other proteins are co-localized within amyloid plaques.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVet Res
January 2025
Laboratory of Helminth Parasites of Zoonotic Importance (ATENEA), Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology of Salamanca (IRNASA-CSIC), Salamanca, Spain.
Plasmin, the final product of fibrinolysis, is a broad-spectrum serine protease that degrades extracellular matrix (ECM) components, a function exploited by multiple pathogens for dissemination purposes. The trematode Fasciola hepatica is the leading cause of fasciolosis, a major disease of livestock and an emerging zoonosis in humans. Infection success depends on the ability of F.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMedicine (Baltimore)
January 2025
National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
The correlation between cathepsins and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is well-established, but the causative link between them remains uncertain. This study aimed to explore the causal role of circulating metabolites mediating cathepsins in PAH using Mendelian randomization (MR). A 2-sample 2-step MR method was used to identify causal relationship between cathepsins and PAH; causal relationship between circulating metabolites and PAH; and mediated effects of these circulating metabolites.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!