Prooxidents can induce reversible inhibition or irreversible inactivation and degradation of the mitochondrial enzyme aconitase. Cardiac ischemia/reperfusion is associated with an increase in mitochondrial free radical production. In the current study, the effects of reperfusion-induced production of prooxidants on mitochondrial aconitase and proteolytic activity were determined to assess wheth...

The virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans isolates with high and low extracellular proteolytic activity was investigated in mice. No consistent relationship between proteolytic activity and virulence was observed, but isolates derived from one strain were shown to elicit different inflammatory responses.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative articular disease primarily observed in older adults, and is the leading cause of physical disability and impaired quality of life. OA is characterized by softening, fibrillation, erosion, defect of the articular cartilage, bone hypertrophy at the margins with osteophyte formation, subchondral sclerosis, and chronic inflammation of the synovial membrane and...

Trichophyton rubrum is the most common dermatophyte of humans and normally colonizes the superficial layers of the epidermis (stratum corneum). Several proteinases with a possible role in the metabolism of host proteins have been purified from this fungus. The regulation of these enzymes and their role in fungal metabolism were studied at the biochemical level. General proteolytic (azocollytic)...