Degradation of immunoglobulins, protease inhibitors and interleukin-1 by a secretory proteinase of Acanthamoeba cutellanii

The effect of a secretory proteinase from the pathogenic amoebae Acanthamoeba castellanii on host's defense-oriented or regulatory proteins such as immunoglobulins, interleukin-1, and protease inhibitors was investigated. The enzyme was found to degrade secretory immunoglobulin A (slgA), IgG, and IgM. It also degraded $interleukin-1{\alpha}$ ($IL-l{\alpha}$) and $IL-l{\beta}$. Its activity was not inhibited by endogenous protease inhibitors, such as ${\alpha}$2-macroglobulin, ${\alpha}l-trypsin$ inhibitor, and ${\alpha}2-antiplasmin$. Furthermore, the enzyme rapidly degraded those endogenous protease inhibitors as well. The degradation of host's defense-oriented or regulatory proteins by the Acanthanoeba proteinase suggested that the enzyme might be an important virulence factor in the pathogenesis of Acanthamoeba infection.