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Possible role of procathepsin D in human cancer

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Abstract

For the past ten years, our research has been focused on elucidating the mechanism by which procathepsin D (pCD) impacts cancer development. Various studies have shown that pCD is overexpressed and secreted by numerous cancer cell lines. After secretion, it exhibits “growth hormone-like” activity on cancerous cells but the exact mechanism of this mitogenic activity is not yet understood. The activation peptide of pCD (APpCD) (which is cleaved off upon activation of the zymogen) is responsible for the mitogenic function of pCD. Variousin vitro andin vivo studies support our theory that the APpCD interacts with both parent and neighborhood cancer cells and thus functions as an autocrine mitogen. We propose a model of pCD mitogenic function and also some possible approaches for treatment and prevention of certain types of cancer.

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Abbreviations

CD:

cathepsin D

pCD:

procathepsin D

Man-6-P :

mannose 6-phosphate

APpCD:

activation peptide of pCD

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, 40292, Louisville, KY, USA

    A. Vashishta & V. Větvička

  2. Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Progue, Czechia

    M. Fusek

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  1. A. Vashishta
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  2. M. Fusek
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  3. V. Větvička
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Correspondence to V. Větvička.

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Vashishta, A., Fusek, M. & Větvička, V. Possible role of procathepsin D in human cancer. Folia Microbiol 50, 71–76 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02931296

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