• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제35권2호
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• pp.139-142
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• 1997

폐흡충 피낭유충 4주, 7주 및 16주 충체에서 분자량 15, 17, 27, 28 및 53 kDa인 시스테인 단백질 분해효소를 정제하고 각 효소가 IgG를 분해하는 양상을 비교하였고. 탈낭시킨 폐흡충 피낭 유충을 IgG 용액에 배양하여 유충이 분비하는 27 및 28 kDa 단백질분해효소가 IgG을 분해하는 양상을 관찰하였다 1시간 배양하였을 때 IgG heavy chain은 Fab로 분해되었으며 10시간 반응시킨 결과 전체 IgG 분자가 분해되었다. 피낭유충에서 정제한 27 및 28 kDa 효소, 4주, 7주(성장충) 충체 및 16주 성충에서 정제한 15, 17, 27, 28, 53 kDa 효소와 IgG를 반응시킨 결과 모 든 효소가 IgG를 hinge region에서 분해하였다. IgG 분해 양상은 피낭유충에서 가장 강하고, 성충으로 성장하면서 각 효소의 IgG 분해능이 점차 감소하는 양상을 보였다.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제38권3호
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• pp.195-199
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• 2000

The 27 kDa cathepsin L-like cysteine protease of Spirometra erinocei plerocercoid is known to play an important function in tissue penetration, nutrient uptake and immune modulation in human sparganosis. In the present study, the expression of this enzyme was examined at different developmental stages of S. erinacei including immature egg, coracidium, plerocercoid in tadpole and rat, and adult Proteolytic activity against carboxybenzoyl-phenylalanyl-arginyl-7-amino-4-rnethylcournarin was do tooted in the extracts of coracidia and plerocercoid while no activity was observed in those of immature egg and adult. The specific activity in coraridial extracts was lower than that in the plerocercoid. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Northern biol analysis demonstrated that the gene was expressed in the coracidium and plerocercoid but not in immature egg and adult. These results suggest that the 27 kDa cysteine protease is only expressed in the stages involving active migration of the parasite in the host tissue.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제46권3호
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• pp.183-186
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• 2008

Helminthic cysteine proteases are well known to play critical roles in tissue invasion, nutrient uptake, and immune evasion of the parasites. In the same manner, the sparganum, the plerocercoid of Spirometra mansoni, is also known to secrete a large amount of cysteine proteases. However, cysteine protease inhibitors regulating the proteolytic activities of the cysteine protease are poorly illustrated. In this regard, we partially purified an endogenous cysteine protease inhibitor from spargana and characterized its biochemical properties. The cysteine protease inhibitor was purified by sequential chromatographies using Resource Q anion exchanger and Superdex 200 HR gel filtration from crude extracts of spargana. The molecular weight of the purified protein was estimated to be about 11 kD on SDS-PAGE. It was able to inhibit papain and 27 kDa cysteine protease of spargana with the ratio of 25.7% and 49.1%, respectively, while did not inhibit chymotrypsin. This finding suggests that the cysteine protease inhibitor of spargana may be involved in regulation of endogenous cysteine proteases of the parasite, rather than interact with cysteine proteases from their hosts.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제46권2호
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• pp.95-99
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• 2008

Eosinophil degranulation plays a crucial role in tissue inflammatory reactions associated with helminth parasitic infections and allergic diseases. Paragonimus westermani, a lung fluke causing human paragonimiasis, secretes a large amount of cysteine proteases, which are involved in nutrient uptake, tissue invasion, and modulation of hos's immune responses. There is, however, limited information about the response of eosinophils to direct stimulation by cysteine proteases (CP) secreted by P. westermani. In the present study, we tested whether degranulation and superoxide production from human eosinophils can be induced by stimulation of the 2 CP (27 kDa and 28 kDa) purified from excretory-secretory products (ESP) of P. westermani newly excysted metacercariae (PwNEM). A large quantity of eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN) was detected in the culture supernatant when human eosinophils isolated from the peripheral blood were incubated with the purified 27 kDa CP. Furthermore, the 27 kDa CP induced superoxide anion production by eosinophils in time- and dose-dependent manners. In contrast, the purified 28 kDa CP did not induce superoxide production and degranulation. These findings suggest that the 27 kDa CP secreted by PwNEM induces superoxide production and degranulation of human eosinophils, which may be involved in eosinophil-mediated tissue inflammatory responses during the larval migration in human paragonimiasis.

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

폐흡충의 여러 발육 단계 즉 피낭유충 종숙주 내 성숙단계 충체 및 성충에서 분자량이 각각 28, 27, 22 및 17.5 kDa인 시스테인 계열 단백질 분해효소가 분리 정제되었다. 이 연구는 만성 폐흡충증의 육아종에서 발견되는 충란이 육아종 형성에 관여하는 물질을 분비한다면 그 분비액 중에서는 단백질 분해효소가 중요할 것이라고 가정하고 우선 그 존재를 조사하였으며 이를 부분정제하고 생화학적 특성을 관찰하였다. 실험적으로 개에 폐흡충 피낭유충을 감염시키고, 14주일 후에 개를 포살하여 폐를 분리하였다. 폐를 생리식염수로 씻어 그 세척액에서 충란을 모았다. 그후 해부 현미경하에서 이물질(이물질)을 제거하고 증류수에서 하룻밤 투석하여 충란외부에 묻어 있을 수 있는 숙주 또는 성충의 조직을 제거하였다. 충란을 생리식염수에서 마쇄한 후 원심분리에 의해 충란 조효소(조효소)를 제작하였다. 조효소에는 Cbz-phe-arg-MNA와 Azocoll을 분해하는 단백질 분해효소가 존재하였으며 이 활성은 pH 6에서 가장 높았다. 이 활성은 DTT에 의해 6.5배 증강되었고, 시스테인계 단백실 분해효소의 특이 억제제인 I-64나 IAA에 의해서는 90% 억제되었다. 조효소를 Sephacryl 5-300 HR column을 통과시켜 효소를 부분정제한 결과 분자량이 35 kDa인 시스테인 계열의 단백질 분해효소을 정제할 수 있었다.

• 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.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제38권2호
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• pp.75-84
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• 2000

Antibody responses in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from patients with active and chronic paragonimiasis and in sera from patients on whom follow-up studies were done after praziquantel treatment were analyzed using antigens of Paragonimus westermani prepared from eggs, metacercariae, juveniles of 4-and 7-week old, adult worms and recombinant protein of 28 kDa cruzipain-like cysteine protease (rPw28CCP). The patient sera/CSFs of active and chronic paragonimiasis revealed strong antibody reactions against the crude extracts of 4-and 7-week old juveniles as well as against those from egg and adult. rPw28CCP also showed specific reaction to the sera with active paragonimiasis. After the treatment, levels of specific antibodies in the sera gradually decreased to negative range in most patients. In some cases with persisting high antibody levels, however, the reactions at 27 kDa egg Protein were sustained throughout the observation period of 34 months. The reactions at 35 and 32 kDa in adult extract and rPw28CCP disappeared rapidly after the treatment. Persistent antibody reactions even after successful treatment are provoked by continuous antigenic challenge from eggs which were not resolved by treatment.