Extended cleavage specificity of a Chinese alligator granzyme B homologue, a strict Glu-ase in contrast to the mammalian Asp-ases

Extended Cleavage Specificity of two Hematopoietic Serine Proteases from a Ray-Finned Fish, the Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus)

The extended cleavage specificities of two hematopoietic serine proteases originating from the ray-finned fish, the spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus), have been characterized using substrate phage display. The preference for particular amino acids at and surrounding the cleavage site was further validated using a panel of recombinant substrates. For one of the enzymes, the gar granzyme G, a strict preference for the aromatic amino acid Tyr was observed at the cleavable P1 position. Using a set of recombinant substrates showed that the gar granzyme G had a high selectivity for Tyr but a lower activity for cleaving after Phe but not after Trp. Instead, the second enzyme, gar DDN1, showed a high preference for Leu in the P1 position of substrates. This latter enzyme also showed a high preference for Pro in the P2 position and Arg in both P4 and P5 positions. The selectivity for the two Arg residues in positions P4 and P5 suggests a highly specific substrate selectivity of this enzyme. The screening of the gar proteome with the consensus sequences obtained by substrate phage display for these two proteases resulted in a very diverse set of potential targets. Due to this diversity, a clear candidate for a specific immune function of these two enzymes cannot yet be identified. Antisera developed against the recombinant gar enzymes were used to study their tissue distribution. Tissue sections from juvenile fish showed the expression of both proteases in cells in Peyer's patch-like structures in the intestinal region, indicating they may be expressed in T or NK cells. However, due to the lack of antibodies to specific surface markers in the gar, it has not been possible to specify the exact cellular origin. A marked difference in abundance was observed for the two proteases where gar DDN1 was expressed at higher levels than gar granzyme G. However, both appear to be expressed in the same or similar cells, having a lymphocyte-like appearance.

The Extended Cleavage Specificity of Channel Catfish Granzyme-like II, A Highly Specific Elastase, Expressed by Natural Killer-like Cells

The extended cleavage specificity of catfish granzyme-like II has been characterized using substrate phage display. The preference for particular amino acids at and surrounding the cleavage site was further validated by using a panel of recombinant substrates. This serine protease, which has previously been isolated as cDNA from a catfish natural killer-like cell line showed a preference for Ala in the P1 position of the substrate, and for multiple basic amino acids N-terminally of the cleavage site. A closely related zebrafish serine protease (zebrafish esterase-like) showed a very similar cleavage specificity, indicating an evolutionary conservation of this protease specificity among various fish species. Two catfish serine proteases, originating from NK-like cells, have now been isolated and characterized. One of them is highly specific met-ase with similar characteristics as the mammalian granzyme M. This enzyme may be involved in the induction of apoptosis in virus-infected cells, with a potential target in (catfish) caspase 6. In contrast to catfish granzyme-like I, the second enzyme analyzed here does not seem to have a direct counterpart in mammalian NK cells, and its role in the immune function of catfish NK cells is, therefore, still not known. However, this enzyme seems to be able to cleave a number of cytoskeletal proteins, indicating a separate strategy to induce apoptosis in target cells. Both of these enzymes are very interesting targets for further studies of their roles in catfish immunity, as enzymes with similar specificities have also been identified in zebrafish.

Interleukin-1β converting enzyme (ICE): A comprehensive review on discovery and development of caspase-1 inhibitors

Caspase-1 is a critical mediator of the inflammatory process by activating various pro-inflammatory cytokines such as pro-IL-1β, IL-18 and IL-33. Uncontrolled activation of caspase-1 leads to various cytokines-mediated diseases. Thus, inhibition of Caspase-1 is considered therapeutically beneficial to halt the progression of such diseases. Currently, rilonacept, canakinumab and anakinra are in use for caspase-1-mediated autoinflammatory diseases. However, the poor pharmacokinetic profile of these peptides limits their use as therapeutic agents. Therefore, several peptidomimetic inhibitors have been developed, but only a few compounds (VX-740, VX-765) have advanced to clinical trials; because of their toxic profile. Several small molecule inhibitors have also been progressing based on the three-dimensional structure of caspase-1. However there is no successful candidate available clinically. In this perspective, we highlight the mechanism of caspase-1 activation, its therapeutic potential as a disease target and potential therapeutic strategies targeting caspase-1 with their limitations.

Extended cleavage specificities of human granzymes A and K, two closely related enzymes with conserved but still poorly defined functions in T and NK cell-mediated immunity

Granzymes A and K are two highly homologous serine proteases expressed by mammalian cytotoxic T cells (CTL) and natural killer cells (NK). Granzyme A is the most abundant of the different granzymes (gzms) expressed by these two cell types. Gzms A and K are found in all jawed vertebrates and are the most well conserved of all hematopoietic serine proteases. Their potential functions have been studied extensively for many years, however, without clear conclusions. Gzm A was for many years thought to serve as a key component in the defense against viral infection by the induction of apoptosis in virus-infected cells, similar to gzm B. However, later studies have questioned this role and instead indicated that gzm A may act as a potent inducer of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Gzms A and K form clearly separate branches in a phylogenetic tree indicating separate functions. Transcriptional analyses presented here demonstrate the presence of gzm A and K transcripts in both CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells. To enable screening for their primary biological targets we have made a detailed analysis of their extended cleavage specificities. Phage display analysis of the cleavage specificity of the recombinant enzymes showed that both gzms A and K are strict tryptases with high selectivity for Arg over Lys in the P1 position. The major differences in the specificities of these two enzymes are located N-terminally of the cleavage site, where gzm A prefers small amino acids such as Gly in the P3 position and shows a relatively relaxed selectivity in the P2 position. In contrast, gzm K prefers large amino acids such as Phe, Tyr, and Trp in both the P2 and P3 positions and does not tolerate negatively charged residues in the P2 position. This major distinction in extended specificities is likely reflected also in preferred in vivo targets of these two enzymes. This information can now be utilized for high-precision screening of primary targets for gzms A and K in search of their highly conserved but still poorly defined functions in vertebrate immunity.