The Role of Cysteine Protease Cathepsins B, H, C, and X/Z in Neurodegenerative Diseases and Cancer.

ABSTRACT: Papain-like cysteine proteases are composed of 11 human cysteine cathepsins, originally located in the lysosomes. They exhibit broad specificity and act as endopeptidases and/or exopeptidases. Among them, only cathepsins B, H, C, and X/Z exhibit exopeptidase activity. Recently, cysteine cathepsins have been found to be present outside the lysosomes and often participate in various pathological processes. Hence, they have been considered key signalling molecules. Their potentially hazardous proteolytic activities are tightly regulated. This review aims to discuss recent advances in understanding the structural aspects of these four cathepsins, mechanisms of their zymogen activation, regulation of their activities, and functional aspects of these enzymes in neurodegeneration and cancer. Neur

SUBMITTER: Stoka V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10650516 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature