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J Langner

Publications and source records attributed to J Langner.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

[Antigen processing and antigen presentation by accessory cells of the immune system].

T lymphocytes do not recognize antigens directly, but only after certain molecular modifications, the so-called antigen processing. This process has been studied mostly in macrophages and recently in B cells as well. Antigen processing takes place in lysosomes, biochemically is a limited proteolysis and only after the reexpression on the cell membrane of macrophages epitopes are recognized by T cells in the context of MHC class II molecules (Ia antigens). This is called linked or cognate recognition. Experiments leading to these conclusions were discussed, the heterogeneity of accessory immune cells is shown, and as an antithesis the possibility emerges that processing is not conditio sine qua non. Antigen presentation by accessory cells is shown as a precondition for cognate recognition in MHC restricted T cell responses. The existence and specificity of class II-epitope associates, the conditions for their reexpression, the size of epitopes and the influence of accessory immune cells on the specificity of presentation were discussed, based on the literature until summer of 1984.

Antibody Formation↗

The insulin and glucagon degrading proteinase of rat liver. Separation of the proteinase from the thiol-proteindisulfide oxidoreductases.

Insulin degrading enzymes of rat liver cytosol, the so-called insulin and glucagon degrading proteinase (IGP, EC 3.4.23.5), and two forms of the insulin degrading thiol-protein-disulfide oxidoreductase/isomerase (glutathione-insulin transhydrogenase, TPO, EC 1.8.4.2/5.3.4.1) were separated from each other and partially purified on DEAE-Sephadex. The highly purified proteinase was obtained by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the DEAE-Sephadex-purified enzyme fraction and was used to produce monospecific antibodies to the IGP in rabbits. Strong evidence is given that the insulin and glucagon degrading proteinase is an autonomous enzyme existing in addition to the TPO forms in the cytosol of the liver. Combined action of the proteinase and the TPO system on radioiodinated insulin under various conditions in vitro revealed an independent and non-sequential degradation of insulin by these two enzyme systems.

Animals↗

The insulin and glucagon degrading proteinase of rat liver: a metal-dependent enzyme.

Insulin and glucagon degrading proteinase (EC 3.4.23.5) purified from rat liver cytosol was characterized using radioiodinated insulin and glucagon as substrates. Maximum activity for breakdown of both hormones was found at pH 8.1. Thiol blocking reagents as well as indole derivatives inhibit the proteinase, whereas pepstatin, leupeptin, bestatin, elastatinal, antipain, chymostatin and phosphoramidon do not have any effect. Although the Km values and maximal velocities of insulin and glucagon breakdown deviate strongly from each other, the specificity constants (kcat/Km) for both substrates are nearly identical. The insulin and glucagon degrading proteinase, known as a thiol-dependent enzyme, was found to be also a metallo enzyme. Chelating agents, such as EDTA, EGTA, bipyridine and o-phenanthroline show a concentration dependent inhibition. The strongest inhibitor found was o-phenanthroline. Zn++, Co++, Mn++, and to a smaller extent Cd++ and Fe++, are capable of preventing the o-phenanthroline mediated inhibition. Removal of the protein-bound metal(s) results in a nearly total and irreversible loss of enzymatic activity.

Animals↗

The ribosomal serine proteinase, cathepsin R. Occurrence in rat-liver ribosomes in a cryptic form.

Ribosomes have been shown to contain a proteolytic activity, characterized as an endopeptidase with serine in the active center. The enzyme has been given the name cathepsin R, following the recommendations of Barrett et al. (in a publication from the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York) for naming new proteinases. The present paper contains evidence that cathepsin R in rat liver ribosomes is present in a cryptic form. Upon dissociation of ribosomes to subunits (and to minor extent also by 0.5 M KC1 washes), the cryptic proteinase is released. Activation of the released cathepsin R is effected by equilibration with 2 M NaC1/0.05 M sodium acetate, pH 4.8. The molecular weight of free cathepsin R is 25 000-30 000.

Animals↗

Action of rat liver cathepsin L on glucagon.

The proteolytic specificity of cathepsin L on glucagon was determined. Major cleavages are found between Thr7 and Ser8, Asp15 and Ser16, and between Met27 and Asn28. The bonds Ser11-Lys12, Val23-Gln24, and Gln24-Trp25 are hydrolyzed to a relatively low extent only. Whereas cathepsin B hydroxyzes glucagon at the C-terminus by a peptidyldipeptidase mechanism, cathepsin L cleaves the same substrate clearly as endopeptidase.

Animals↗

Lysosomal cysteine proteinases.

Cathepsin B has so far been the most investigated cysteine (thiol) proteinase of lysosomes. The use of cytosol proteins as substrates has allowed the detection of two new lysosomal cysteine proteinases from rat liver: the endoaminopeptidase cathepsin H and cathepsin L, which splits almost no synthetic substrates but has a more than 10-fold higher specific activity with proteins as substrates than other mammalian cysteine proteinases. The properties of cathepsin L are compared with those of other cysteine proteinases (cathepsin B,H,N,S and others) from different tissues in relation to substrate specificity and sensitivity to inhibitors. A new test system for determining cathepsin L allows us to investigate the distribution of this enzyme between different cell types and to speculate about the special role of cysteine proteinase in intracellular protein degradation.

Animals↗

The ribosomal serine proteinase: cathepsin R.

As has been known for several years, thoroughly purified ribosomes contain a firmly bound serine proteinase with an optimum of activity at neutral pH. The present paper shows that the activity is found in free cytoplasmic ribosomes as well as in ribosomes detached from the membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum of rat liver. After ribosome dissociation, the proteinase activity is found only on the 40 S subunits. Recovery of the proteinase in the proteins of whole ribosomes or of 40 S subunits amounts to 44 and 65%, respectively. Ribosomes purified both from plant (Euglena) and bacterial (Acinetobacter) cells contain a serine proteinase having an activity quite comparable to that of rat liver ribosomes. In view of the recommendations of BARRETT et al. ( in REICH, RIFKIN and SHAW (eds).: Proteinases and Biological Control, Cold Spring Harbour Lab., 1975, p. 481), who no longer restrict the name "cathepsin" to acid or even lysosomal proteinases, we propose the name " ccathepsin R" for this ribosomal serine proteinase.

Animals↗

The age dependence of intracellular proteolysis: changes of the substrate proteins.

Liver cytosol proteins of young (4--6 months) and old (18--27 months) rats were degraded in vitro by papain, pronase, trypsin, pepsin, cathepsin D from rat liver and a soluble lysosomal enzyme mixture from rat liver. We could demonstrate the capability of the latter enzyme mixture to degrade proteolytically the cytosol proteins of young animals about 20% faster than those of the older animal group. Digesting radioactive labelled "young" cytosol in the presence of unlabelled "old" cytosol the possibility could be excluded, that this effect was due to an inhibitor of macromolecular size present in the "old" cytosol.

Aging↗

Cathepsin L. A new proteinase from rat-liver lysosomes.

1. Cathepsin L was purified from rat liver lysosomes by cell fractionation, osmotic disruption of the lysosomes in the lysosomal mitochondrial pellet, gel filtration of the lysosomal extract and chromatography on CM-Sephadex. 2. Cathepsin L is a thiol proteinase and exists in several multiple forms visible on the disc electropherogram. By polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate its molecular weight was found to be 23000-24000. The isoelectric points of the multiple forms of cathepsin L extended from pH 5.8-6.1 ascertained by analytical isoelectric focusing. 3. Using various protein substrates, cathepsin L was found to be the most active endopeptidase from rat liver lysosomes acting at pH 6-7. In contrast to cathepsin B1, its capability of hydrolyzing N-substituted derivatives of arginine is low and it does not split esters. 4. Greatest activity is obtained close to pH 5.0 with 70-90% of maximal activity at pH 4.0 and pH 6.0 and 30-40% at pH 7.0. 5. The enzyme is strongly inhibited by leupeptin and the chloromethyl ketone of tosyl-lysine. Leupeptin acts as a pseudo-irreversible inhibitor. 6. The enzyme is stable for several months at slightly acid pH values in the presence of thiol compounds in a deep-frozen state.

Animals↗

Presence of an endopeptidase activity in rat liver ribosomes.

Preparation of ribosomes using different procedures (treatment of postmitochondrial-postlysosomal supernatant or microsomes with 1% triton in 0.15 or 0.5 M KCl and subsequent sucrose gradient centrifugation; treatment of microsomes with 1.5% deoxycholate/2% triton) results in purified ribosomes which contain an endopeptidase activity detectable by breakdown of ribosomal proteins to trichloroacetic acid soluble split products. The proteolytic activity can be recovered also in the extracted proteins of whole ribosomes. With ribosomes the pH optimum of proteolytic breakdown is at about 7. The inhibition of the activity by leupeptin, DIFP and soya bean trypsin inhibitor suggests a serine type of the proteolytic activity.

Animals↗

Cathepsin H: an endoaminopeptidase from rat liver lysosomes.

1. Cathepsin H is an endoaminopeptidase belonging to the group of thiol enzymes. It was purified from rat liver lysosomes by gel filtration on Sephadex G-75, chromatography on CM-Sephadex C-50, on DEAE-Cellulose DE-52 and subsequently on an organomercurial absorbent. 2. The molecular weight of cathepsin H was found to be 28,000 and the isoelectric point was estimated to be at pH 7.1 by analytical isoelectric focusing. 3. Cathepsin H has to be designated as endoaminopeptidase, because it catalyzes the hydrolysis of proteins, N-terminal substituted proteins and amino acid derivatives, respectively, as well as of peptides of various chain length and N-terminal free amino acid derivatives. Cathepsin H shows amidase and esterase activity, but it does not show carboxypeptidase activity. The finding of the amino- and endopeptidase nature of cathepsin H has been revealed mainly by the results obtained with inhibitors and by the rather high temperature stability of the enzyme. The chlormethyl ketone of leucine proves to be the strongest inhibitor of the aminopeptidase as well as of the endopeptidase activity, whereas leupeptin endopeptidase activity and endopeptidase substrates inhibit competitively the aminopeptidase activity. 5. Cathepsin H shows highest activity at pH 6.0 in the presence of 1--5 mM GSH and EDTA. 6. The enzyme is stable for several months at slightly acid pH values in a deep frozen state.

Animals↗

[On the age dependence of the intracellular proteolysis (author's transl)].

We report the age dependent changes of the proteolytic capacity of the rat liver at pH 3.0 and pH 6.0. The total proteolytic activity increases during the whole cycle. During the weanling period the specific activity (mug substrate split x min-1 X mg liver protein-1) rises up to values about 30% higher than those of the remaining lifetime. We found the specific activity in old male animals (18 months) to be lower than in younger ones (5 months). These findings are correct for the liver homogenate as well as for the cell fractions.

Aging↗

[Intracellular protein breakdown. VIII. The use of double-labeled proteins as substrates].

Double-labeled proteins from rat liver cytosol (14C in long-lived, 3H in short-lived proteins after in-vivo-labeling) are used as substrates for unlabeled proteinases in vitro. Differences in the degradation rates of short-lived and long-lived proteins in vitro by different proteinases and after addition of different effectors allow conclusions concerning their importance for the in-vivo-turnover of substrate proteins. The main activity (greater than 90%) of soluble-lysosomal proteinases at pH 6,1 and pH 6,9 is caused by thiolproteinases, which degrade preferentially short-lived cytosol proteins. These proteinases are inhibited by leupeptin. Autolysis of double-labeled cell fractions shows a remarkably faster breakdown of short-lived substrate proteins only in the soluble part of lysosomes. Microsomal fractions degrade in vitro preferentially long-lived substrate proteins.

Animals↗