• Journal of Life Science
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.9-13
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• 1999

Reduced thiols were important compounds for the maintenance of leukemia and lymphoma cell survival (and growth). In the course of examining the microenvirn-mental effects on lymphoma and leukemia cell growth, we found that cysteine suppressed apoptosis in these cells. In a present study, in order to investigate the role of cystein on the suppression of apoptotic cell death, we used CS21, P388, and L1210 cell lines. The addition of BSO, an inhibitor of glutathione synthase, induced apoptosis of these cells by blocking the cellular uptake of cysteine in CS21 cells. Although L1210 cells underwent apoptosis without thiol compounds, the addition of these compounds suppressed the apoptosis and promoted the growth or L1210 cells. When specific inhibitors of caspase3-like proteases, but not caspase1-like proteases, were activated during the L1210 cell apoptosis but the addition of thiol compounds suppressed the activation of caspase3-like proteases. These results suggest that reduced thiols including cysteine play an important role in the suppression of cell apoptosis by inhibiting the activation of caspase3-like proteases.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 대한약학회 2003년도 Proceedings of the Convention of the Pharmaceutical Society of Korea Vol.2-2
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• pp.180.2-180.2
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• 2003

Cathepsin K, a cysteine protease of the papain superfamily, is predominantly expressed in osteoclasts and has been postulated as a target for the treatment of osteoporosis. Crystallographic and structure-activity studies on a series of azepanone-based diamino and acyclic ketone derivative inhibitors of cathepsin K have led to the design and identification. X-ray structure of the cysteine protease cathepsin K (1NL6) co-crystalized with an inhibitor with 2.8${\AA}$ resolution was used to predict the protein-ligand interactions and to estimate the binding affinity from the docking score by FlexX module. (omitted)

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.32-37
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• 1986

In fermentation studies it revealed that Streptomyces sp. SMF 3001 started to synthesize extracellular alkaline protease from early exponential phase of cell growth. The biosynthesis of the alkaline protease was greatly induced by skim milk as a sola nitrogen source and further stimulation was observed under inorganic sulphur limited culture. However, it was found that the biosynthesis was apparently repressed by $NH_4^+$ and free amino acids, specially by cysteine. It was considered that the strain SMF 301 of Streptomyces sp. would produce the alkaline protease for the uptake of sulphur compounds from protein contained in the culture broth.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제33권4호
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• pp.323-330
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• 1995

Protease activity was identified in crude extracts of Pnrqgonimw westermnni eggs which were purified from infected dog lungs, isolated on 14 weeks after metacercarial challenge. The eggs were used after removing possibly contaminated host or worm tissues on their shell surfaces. In the crude egg extracts, high proteolytic activities against carboBfrb enzoyl - ph enylalanyl - arginyl-4- methoxy- β- naphthylamide (Cbz - phe - arg- MNA) and Azocoll were detected whereas those against succinyl-alanyl-propyl-phenylalanyl-p- nitroanilide (Suc-ala-pro-phe-pNA) were not revealed. The eVe eBdlibited the maximal activity at pH 6. Its activity was inhibited by specific cysteine protease inhibitors, 105 M I- trans-epoxysuccinylleucylamido (4-guanidino) butane (E-64) and 1 mM iodoacetamide (LAA) while potentiated by 6.5-fold in the presence of 2.5 mM dithiothreitol (DTT) . When the enzyme was purified partially by Sephacryl S-300 High Resolution gel filtration, it migrated as a single homogeneous band at 35 kDa. The 35 kDa cysteine protease has been recognized neither in the metacercariae nor in the adult. These findings indicated the presence of at least one protease of cathepsin family in immature eggs of f westernani.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.183-190
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• 2002

The mechanism by which catechin-mediated cytotoxicity against tumor cells remains to be elusive. To elucidate the mechanical mights of anti-tumor effects, (-)epigallocatechin-gallate (EGCG) of catechin was applied to human prostate cancer DU 145 cells. Cell viability was measured by crystal violet staining. Cell lysates were wed to measure the catalytic activity of caspases by using fluorogenic peptide: Ac-DEVD-AMC for caspase-3 protease, Z-IETD-AFC for caspase-8 protease, Ac-LEHD-AFC for caspase-9 protease as substrates. The equal amounts of protein from cell lysate was separated on SDS-PAGE and analyzed by western blotting with anti-Fas antibody, anti-FasL antibody, anti-BCL2 antibody and anti-Bax antibody. (-)EGCG induced the death of DUl45 cells, which was revealed as apoptosis shown by DNA fragmentation. (-)EGCG induced the activation of caspase family cysteine proteases including caspase-3, -8 and -9 proteases in DU145 cells. Also, (-)EGCG increased the expression of Fas and Fas ligand (FasL) protein in DU145 colls. The expression level of BCL2 was decreased in (-)EGCG treated DU145 cells, whereas Bax protein was increased in a time-dependent manner. We suggest that (-)EGCG-induced apoptosis of DU145 cells is mediated by signaling pathway involving caspase family cysteine protease, mitochondrial BCL2-family protein and Fas/FasL.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제40권2호
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• pp.89-92
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• 2002

The cysteine proteases of Paragonimus westermani metacercariae are involved in metacercarial excystment, host immune modulation, and possibly in tissue penetration. In order to clarify the origin of the enzymes, 28 and 27 kDa cysteine proteases in metacercarial excretory-secretory products were purified through the FPLC system using Mono Q column chromatography. The polyclonal antibodies to the enzymes were produced in BALB/c mice. Immunolocalization studies revealed that both cysteine proteases were distributed at the linings of excretory bladder and excretory concretions of the metacercariae. It was suggested that the excretory epithelium of P. westermani undertake the secretory function of metacercarial cysteine proteases, in addition to its role as a route for eliminating waste products.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.569-574
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• 1989

These studies were conducted to investigate the purification and characterization of Kiwifruit protease, and the results obtained were as follows The protease was purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation, Sephadex G-100 filtration and DEAE-Sephadex A-50 column chromatography and purified enzyme gave a single protein band on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis The specific activity of purified enzyme was 30,10 units/mg protein and the yield was 7.48. The purified enzyme showed a high affinity for casein and hemoglobin. The optimal pH and temperature for enzyme activity were 7.0 and $45^{\circ}C$, respectively. The enzyme activity was strongly inhibited by $HgCl_2,\;MnSO_4$. However. the enzyme was activated by cysteine and EDTA. The Michaelis constant for casein was calculated to be 50.5mg/ml according to the Line weaver-Burk method, and its molecular weight was determied as 23,500 by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제62권6호
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• pp.840-853
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• 2020

The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of a multi-protease on production indicators of broiler chickens fed a crude protein and amino acid deficient-diets for 35 days immediately after hatch. A total of 448 one-day-old Ross 308 male broiler chicks were allocated in a completely randomized design into one of eight dietary treatments (positive control [PC], negative control [NC: minus 0.5% from PC, and minus 2% of lysine, methionine, threonine and methionine plus cysteine], extreme negative control [ENC: minus 1% from PC, minus 4% of lysine, methionine, threonine and methionine plus cysteine], and plus multi-protease 150 or 300 g per ton [e. g., PC-150]; PC, PC-150, NC, NC-150, NC-300, ENC, ENC-150, ENC-300) to give eight replicates with seven birds in a battery cage. Body weight, average daily gain, average daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and mortality were measured every week. Carcass traits, proximate analysis of breast meat, and ileum digestibility were analyzed on day 21 and 35. Feeding a multi-protease (i.e., more than 150 g/ton) for 35 days immediately after hatching improved feed efficiency and ileum digestibility (i.e., dry matter, crude protein, and energy) compared to their counterparts (i.e., diets without multi-protease: PC, NC, and ENC). In conclusion, our results indicated that broiler chickens fed nutrients deficient-diet (i.e., crude protein and amino acids) supplemented a multi-protease had an ability to compensate and (or) improve their growth performance commensurate with increased ileal digestibility for 35 days immediately after hatch.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제56권5호
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• pp.409-418
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• 2018

Acanthamoeba spp. are free-living protozoa that are opportunistic pathogens for humans. Cysteine proteases of Acanthamoeba have been partially characterized, but their biochemical and functional properties are not clearly understood yet. In this study, we isolated a gene encoding cysteine protease of A. castellanii (AcCP) and its biochemical and functional properties were analyzed. Sequence analysis of AcCP suggests that this enzyme is a typical cathepsin L family cysteine protease, which shares similar structural characteristics with other cathepsin L-like enzymes. The recombinant AcCP showed enzymatic activity in acidic conditions with an optimum at pH 4.0. The recombinant enzyme effectively hydrolyzed human proteins including hemoglobin, albumin, immunoglobuins A and G, and fibronectin at acidic pH. AcCP mainly localized in lysosomal compartment and its expression was observed in both trophozoites and cysts. AcCP was also identified in cultured medium of A. castellanii. Considering to lysosomal localization, secretion or release by trophozoites and continuous expression in trophozoites and cysts, the enzyme could be a multifunctional enzyme that plays important biological functions for nutrition, development and pathogenicity of A. castellanii. These results also imply that AcCP can be a promising target for development of chemotherapeutic drug for Acanthamoeba infections.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제48권2호
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• pp.75-78
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• 2005

Halotolerant protease produced by Halomonas marisflava KCCM 10457 was partially purified through ammonium sulfate precipitation and Sephacryl S-200HR gel permeation chromatography. Optimal pH and temperature of protease were 11.0 and $45^{\circ}C$, respectively. Enzyme activity was inhibited by $Cu^{2+}$, $Hg^{2+}$, $Fe^{2+}$, and $Fe^{3+}$, and selectively inhibited by p-chloromercuribenzoic acid (PCMB), suggesting this enzyme is cysteine protease. The enzyme is halotolerant, because it retained 77% of original activity in presence of 3.33 M NaCl. The protease showed broad substrate specificity to various natural proteins; BSA, casein, egg albumin, gelatin, and hemoglobin.