We suggest that these hemocytes are stimulated to release prophenoloxidase immediately before or after ecdysis, and the
proenzyme moves across the epidermis into the layers of the newly secreted exoskeleton.
Furthermore, we detected 2 forms of MMP-7 in CAL 54 cell line supernatant: pro-MMP-7 and mature MMP-7, which is the result ofactivation of the
proenzyme; however, our results demonstrated an IgG immunoreactivity only against the
proenzyme.
In our previous assays based on the same principle, both activation of the
proenzyme and detection of the activity of the activated
proenzyme with a chromogenic peptide substrate were performed simultaneously, and the relationship between color formation and incubation time was parabolic.
Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) are serine proteases that catalyse the conversion of a
proenzyme, plasminogen, to active plasmin and play important roles in thrombolysis (Blasi et al., 1987).
uPA is secreted as an inactive
proenzyme, which localizes on the cell surface by binding to a glyco-lipid-anchored cell surface receptor, urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR).
The first patent application, which entered national phase in July, describes a method to eradicate cancer stem cells, and a second patent application, covering
proenzyme compositions for the treatment of solid tumors, recently completed national phase entry mid-July.
Proapoptotic stimuli first lead to the activation of so-called initiator caspases such as caspase-8, which in turn cleave inactive
proenzyme forms of so-called effector caspases such as caspase-3 and caspase-7.
Proenzyme PSA for the early detection of prostate cancer in the 2.5-4.0 ng/ml total PSA range: preliminary analysis.
[1] uPA is secreted as an inactive
proenzyme, which localizes on the cell surface by binding to a specific glycolipid-anchored receptor, uPAR (2).
hK7 is predicted to be translated as a pre-proenzyme that is processed and secreted as a
proenzyme into the extracellular space, similarly to other extracellular proteases (6).
Analysis of an apo(a) cDNA from a human liver library in 1987 revealed that apo(a) bears striking homology with the fibrinolytic
proenzyme plasminogen and is a member of the plasminogen gene superfamily (7).
This includes one form of PSA that has been identified as the
proenzyme, or precursor form of PSA (pPSA), which is associated with cancer (11-14).
The Company's novel
proenzyme therapy is based on the science that enzymes stimulate biological reactions in the body, especially enzymes secreted by the pancreas.
