Search results for "peptidases"
showing 10 items of 319 documents
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha converting enzyme is processed by proprotein-convertases to its mature form which is degraded upon phorbol ester stimulat…
2003
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha converting enzyme (TACE or ADAM17) is a member of the ADAM (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase) family of type I membrane proteins and mediates the ectodomain shedding of various membrane-anchored signaling and adhesion proteins. TACE is synthesized as an inactive zymogen, which is subsequently proteolytically processed to the catalytically active form. We have identified the proprotein-convertases PC7 and furin to be involved in maturation of TACE. This maturation is negatively influenced by the phorbol ester phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), which decreases the cellular amount of the mature form of TACE in PMA-treated HEK293 and SH-SY5Y cells. Furthermore…
Mast cells promote homeostasis by limiting endothelin-1-induced toxicity
2004
Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a 21-amino-acid peptide, derived from vascular endothelial cells, with potent vasoconstrictor activity. ET-1 has been implicated in diverse physiological or pathological processes, including the vascular changes associated with sepsis. However, the factors that regulate ET-1-associated toxicity during bacterial infections, or in other settings, are not fully understood. Both the pathology associated with certain allergic and autoimmune disorders, and optimal host defence against bacterial and parasitic infections are mediated by mast cells. In vitro, mast cells can produce ET-1 (ref. 11), undergo ET-1-dependent and endothelin-A receptor (ET(A))-dependent activation, a…
Spectrophotometric and voltammetric determination of 2,5-dimethylaniline as potential product of enzymatic splitting of XY-2,5-dimethylanilide type s…
1999
A method for determination of 2,5-dimethylaniline is proposed. The procedure enables both spectrophotometrical and voltammetric measurements. The spectrophotometrical determination at λmax = 385.8 nm is possible for concentrations up to 1.25 × 10-6 mol l-1. The voltammetric method takes more time, however, due to the adsorptive enrichment of the substrate it is possible to determine concentrations in the range of 10-7 mol l-1). In the paper the optimal conditions and parameters for the determination are suggested.
Mode of action of Bacillus thuringiensis PS86Q3 strain in hymenopteran forest pests
2001
The mode of action of Cry toxins has been described principally in lepidopteran insects as a multistep process. In this work we describe the mode of action of a Cry toxin active in the common pine sawfly Diprion pini (Hymenoptera, Diprionidae), considered a major forest pest in Europe. Strain PS86Q3 contains a long bipyramidal crystal composed of five major proteins. The N-terminal sequence shows that the 155 kDa protein corresponds to Cry5B toxin and the other proteins belong to the Cry5A subgroup. PCR analysis indicates the presence of cry5Ac and cry5Ba genes, suggesting that Cry5A protein should be Cry5Ac. Activation of protoxins with trypsin or with midgut content from D. pini and Cepha…
A peptide inhibiting the collagen binding function of integrin alpha2I domain.
1999
Integrin alpha2 subunit forms in the complex with the beta1 subunit a cell surface receptor binding extracellular matrix molecules, such as collagens and laminin-1. It is a receptor for echovirus-1, as well. Ligands are recognized by the special "inserted" domain (I domain) in the integrin alpha2 subunit. Venom from a pit viper, Bothrops jararaca, has been shown to inhibit the interaction of platelet alpha2beta1 integrin with collagen because of the action of a disintegrin/metalloproteinase named jararhagin. The finding that crude B. jararaca venom could prevent the binding of human recombinant ralpha2I domain to type I collagen led us to study jararhagin further. Synthetic peptides represe…
Antibodies to proteinase 3 increase adhesion of neutrophils to human endothelial cells
1993
SUMMARY The detection of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA), especially those with specificity for proteinase 3, is important in the diagnosis and in monitoring disease activity of Wegener's granulomatosis and related vasculitides. An ubiquitous feature of all ANCA-associated acute vascular injury is lytic necrosis. Adhesion of neutrophils to endothelium is a fundamental early step of the inflammatory response. Recently we were able to show that ANCA recognize their target antigen (proteinase 3) translocated into the membrane of human endothelial cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ANCA on the adhesion of neutrophils to human endothelial cells. Incubatio…
Diverse compounds mimic Alzheimer disease–causing mutations by augmenting Aβ42 production
2004
Increased Abeta42 production has been linked to the development of Alzheimer disease. We now identify a number of compounds that raise Abeta42. Among the more potent Abeta42-raising agents identified are fenofibrate, an antilipidemic agent, and celecoxib, a COX-2-selective NSAID. Many COX-2-selective NSAIDs tested raised Abeta42, including multiple COX-2-selective derivatives of two Abeta42-lowering NSAIDs. Compounds devoid of COX activity and the endogenous isoprenoids FPP and GGPP also raised Abeta42. These compounds seem to target the gamma-secretase complex, increasing gamma-secretase-catalyzed production of Abeta42 in vitro. Short-term in vivo studies show that two Abeta42-raising comp…
Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae Major Virulence Factors Dly, Plasmid-Encoded HlyA, and Chromosome-Encoded HlyA Are Secreted via the Type II S…
2015
ABSTRACT Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae is a marine bacterium that causes septicemia in marine animals and in humans. Previously, we had determined a major role of pPHDD1 plasmid-encoded Dly (damselysin) and HlyA (HlyA pl ) and the chromosome-encoded HlyA (HlyA ch ) hemolysins in virulence. However, the mechanisms by which these toxins are secreted remain unknown. In this study, we found that a mini-Tn 10 transposon mutant in a plasmidless strain showing an impaired hemolytic phenotype contained an insertion in epsL , a component of a type II secretion system (T2SS). Reconstruction of the mutant by allelic exchange confirmed the specific involvement of epsL in HlyA ch secretion. In…
Exopeptidase digestion in combination with field desorption mass spectrometry for amino acid sequence determination
1982
Numerous studies have been devoted in the last years to the development of mass spectrometric methods for the sequence determination of peptides [ 1,2]. Most advanced among this work has been so far the rigorous chemical derivatization of oligopeptides to achieve sufficient volatility for the application of conventional (electron impact, EI) mass spectrometry [2-41. For example, the analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) of mixtures of oligopeptide fragments derivatized after chemical or enzymatic hydrolysis of polypeptides has been successfully used for sequence determinations [2,5]. Major limitations of this approach are that only small peptide derivatives are amenable t…
Mass spectral identification of the blocked N-terminal tryptic peptide of the ATPase inhibitor from beef heart mitochondria
1984
AbstractThe presence of a formyl blocking group at the N-terminus of the ATPase inhibitor has been identified and the partial sequence of the N-terminal peptide has been determined by fast atom bombardment and field desorption coupled to mass spectrometry. Minor discrepancies in amino acid sequence of the inhibitor between the present and published data [(1981) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 78, 7403-7407] are reported and its relationships with other inhbitors are briefly discussed.