Abstract
Both cathepsin B-like and cathepsin L-like endopeptidase activities have been described in schistosomes, but their relative contribution to proteinolysis remains controversial. In an attempt to clarify which type of activity predominates, the selective mammalian cathepsin B inhibitor CA-074 was tested under standardized assay conditions with different preparations from Schistosoma mansoni and S. japonicum. CA-074 (0.94 μM) inhibited at least 92% and 80% of proteinolytic activity, respectively, for these species: completely inhibited bovine-spleen cathepsin B activity; but showed only marginal inhibition (4%) of rat-liver cathepsin L activity. We discuss the results with respect to previous studies and conclude that schistosome cathepsin B-like, not L-like, activity predominates.
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Received: 13 November 1996 / Accepted: 13 January 1997
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Caffrey, C., Ruppel, A. Cathepsin B-like activity predominates over cathepsin L-like activity in adult Schistosoma mansoni and S. japonicum . Parasitol Res 83, 632–635 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/s004360050310
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s004360050310