Proteolytic Cleavage of Various Human Serum Proteinase Inhibitors by Candida albicans Aspartic Proteinase

The secreted Candida albicans aspartic proteinase (SAP) is presumed to be one of the putative Candida virulence factors, while serum proteinase inhibitors depend on host defense mechanisms. We examined the interaction between SAP and serum proteinase inhibitors, such as C1-inhibitor, α2 plasmin inhibitor, and antithrombin III. SAP progressively inactivated plasmin inhibitory activity of C1-inhibitor and α2 plasmin inhibitor. It also inactivated thrombin inhibitory activity of antithrombin III. On sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, these host proteinase inhibitors were progressively degraded by SAP during prolonged incubation. These results suggest that SAP induces an imbalance of complements, coagulation and fibrinolytic systems through the degradation and inactivation of these host proteinase inhibitors, and that SAP may play an important role in the development of Candida albicans infections

Regulation of heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor expression by phorbol ester in a human hepatoma-derived cell line

AbstractHeparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) is a recently identified potent mitogen for smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts. HB-EGF has been shown to be an EGF receptor ligand, and also to stimulate epithelial cell growth. A human hepatoma-derived cell line, Mahlavu, was analyzed for the production of HB-EGF mRNA and active HB-EGF protein. It was found that the cell line synthesized very low or undetectable basal level of HB-EGF mRNA. However, the addition of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) led to a rapid and transient rise in HB-EGF mRNA level. HB-EGF in Mahlavu cells appears to be regulated by a protein kinase C (PKC) pathway, since PKC inhibitors, H7, staurosporin, and calphostin C, abrogated the induction of HB-EGF mRNA by TPA. Unlike vascular smooth muscle cells, induction of HB-EGF gene transcription by TPA was blocked completely by incubation with cycloheximide, suggesting that protein synthesis may be a prerequisite for HB-EGF gene transcription in Mahlavu cells. Mahlavu cells were also found to release a bioactive HB-EGF-like protein into conditioned medium which stimulates DNA synthesis in EP170.7 cells. This activity was neutralized by an anti-HB-EGF antibody. These results indicate that HB-EGF gene transcription is regulated via a PKC pathway, resulting in secretion of active HB-EGF into the culture medium of hepatoma-derived Mahlavu cells