Squamous cell carcinoma antigen 1 is an inhibitor of parasite-derived cysteine proteases

Sachiko Kanaji, Yoko Tanaka, Yasuhisa Sakata, Kohei Takeshita, Kazuhiko Arima, Shoichiro Ohta, Elizabeth J. Hansell, Conor R. Caffrey, Jeremy C. Mottram, Jonathan Lowther, Sheila Donnelly, Colin M. Stack, Tomoko Kadowaki, Kenji Yamamoto, James H. McKerrow, John P. Dalton, Graham H. Coombs, Kenji Izuhara

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticle

    Abstract

    The physiological significance of the squamous cell carcinoma antigens 1 (SCCA1) and SCCA2, members of the ovalbumin serpin family, remains unresolved. In this study, we examined whether SCCA1 or SCCA2 inhibits protozoa- or helminth-derived cysteine proteases. SCCA1, but not SCCA2, potently inhibited the cysteine protease activities of CPB2.8 from Leishmania mexicana, cruzain from Trypanosoma cruzi, rhodesain from Trypanosoma brucei rhodesience, and cathepsin L2 from Fasciola hepatica. The inhibitory activities of SCCA1 were due to its resistance to cleavage by the cysteine proteases. The findings indicate that induction of cysteine protease inhibitors might be a novel defense mechanism against parasite development.
    Original languageEnglish
    Number of pages5
    JournalFEBS Letters
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2007

    Keywords

    • cysteine proteases
    • inhibitors
    • interleukins
    • parasites
    • serpins
    • squamous cell carcinoma

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