Trichocystatin-2 from <i>Trichomonas vaginalis</i>: role of N-terminal cysteines in aggregation, protease inhibition, and trichomonal cysteine protease-dependent cytotoxicity on HeLa cells.

ABSTRACT: Trichomonas vaginalis is a protozoan parasite that causes trichomoniasis, the most common nonviral neglected sexually transmitted disease worldwide. Biomarkers and therapeutic targets, including specific trichomonad cysteine proteases (CPs) and their endogenous inhibitors, have been identified to diagnose and treat this disease. Trichocystatin 2 (TC-2) was previously identified as one of the three endogenous inhibitors of the parasite's cathepsin L-like CPs, including TvCP39, which is involved in T. vaginalis cytotoxicity and is a potential therapeutic target. TC-2 contains five cysteines, including four located in the N-terminal sequence. These cysteines may be responsible for the formation of multimers of the recombinant protein expressed in E. coli. To determine whe

SUBMITTER: Aranda-Chan V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11959277 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature