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Lookup NU author(s): Emeritus Professor Tim Cawston
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The breakdown of aggrecan in cartilage is, in part, mediated by an enzyme named aggrecanase that cleaves within the interglobular domain of the molecule between a glutamic residue and an alanine residue. Although the enzyme cleavage site has been identified, the identity, characteristics and localization of this enzyme remain unclear. We have demonstrated that membranes isolated from stimulated chondrocytes are able to generate aggrecan fragments that are labelled by an antibody that recognizes the new N-terminus formed by aggrecanase activity. It was further shown that the membrane activity was a metalloproteinase but was not inhibited by the naturally occurring matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitors, TIMPs 1 and 2. These results show that an aggrecanase activity is associated with the membranes of the chondrocytes and is a metalloproteinase, but might not be a member of the MMP family.
Author(s): Billington CJ, Clark IM, Cawston TE
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Biochemical Journal
Year: 1998
Volume: 336
Issue: 1
Pages: 207-212
Print publication date: 15/11/1998
ISSN (print): 0264-6021
ISSN (electronic): 1470-8728
Publisher: Portland Press Ltd.
URL: http://www.biochemj.org/bj/336/bj3360207.htm
