Human meprin alpha and beta homo-oligomers: cleavage of basement membrane proteins and sensitivity to metalloprotease inhibitors.

Abstract

Meprin is a zinc endopeptidase of the astacin family, which is expressed as a membrane-bound or secreted protein in mammalian epithelial cells, in intestinal leucocytes and in certain cancer cells. There are two types of meprin subunits, alpha and beta, which form disulphide-bonded homo- and hetero-oligomers. Here we report on the cleavage of matrix proteins by hmeprin (human meprin) alpha and beta homo-oligomers, and on the interactions of these enzymes with inhibitors. Despite their completely different cleavage specificities, both hmeprin alpha and beta are able to hydrolyse basement membrane components such as collagen IV, nidogen-1 and fibronectin. However, they are inactive against intact collagen I. Hence the matrix-cleaving activity of hmeprin resembles that of gelatinases rather than collagenases. Hmeprin is inhibited by hydroxamic acid derivatives such as batimastat, galardin and Pro-Leu-Gly-hydroxamate, by TAPI-0 (tumour necrosis factor alpha protease inhibitor-0) and TAPI-2, and by thiol-based compounds such as captopril. Therapeutic targets for these inhibitors are MMPs (matrix metalloproteases), TACE (tumour necrosis factor alpha-converting enzyme) and angiotensin-converting enzyme respectively. The most effective inhibitor of hmeprin alpha in the present study was the naturally occurring hydroxamate actinonin ( K(i)=20 nM). The marked variance in the cleavage specificities of hmeprin alpha and beta is reflected by their interaction with the TACE inhibitor Ro 32-7315, whose affinity for the beta subunit (IC50=1.6 mM) is weaker by three orders of magnitude than that for the alpha subunit ( K(i)=1.6 microM). MMP inhibitors such as the pyrimidine-2,4,6-trione derivative Ro 28-2653 that are more specific for gelatinases do not bind to hmeprin, presumably due to the subtle differences in the mode of zinc binding and active-site structure between the astacins and the MMPs.

• Authors: Markus-N Kruse, Christoph Becker, Daniel Lottaz, Danny Köhler, Irene Yiallouros, Hans-Willi Krell, Erwin E Sterchi, Walter Stöcker
• Journal: The Biochemical journal (Biochem J) Vol. 378 Issue Pt 2 Pg. 383-9 (Mar 01 2004) ISSN: 1470-8728 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 14594449 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Extracellular Matrix Proteins
• Protease Inhibitors
• Metalloproteases
• Metalloendopeptidases
• meprin A

Topics

• Animals
• Basement Membrane (enzymology)
• Extracellular Matrix Proteins (metabolism)
• Humans
• Kinetics
• Metalloendopeptidases (antagonists & inhibitors, chemistry, metabolism)
• Metalloproteases
• Mice
• Models, Molecular
• Protease Inhibitors (chemistry, metabolism, pharmacology)
• Rats
• Species Specificity
• Structural Homology, Protein