Proteolytic cleavage of ricin A chain in endosomal vesicles. Evidence for the action of endosomal proteases at both neutral and acidic pH

Macrophages actively internalize macromolecules into endosomal vesicles containing proteases. The plant toxin, ricin A chain delivered into this pathway by receptor-mediated endocytosis, was found to be exquisitely sensitive to cleavage by these proteases. Proteolytic fragments of ricin A chain were generated within cells as early as 2-3 min after internalization. Toxin proteolysis was initiated in early endosomal vesicles, and transport to lysosomes was not required. As endosomes transit the cell, their lumenal pH drops from neutral to acidic. Previous studies in macrophages had suggested that endosomal proteolysis is dependent on vesicle acidification. Isolated endosomal vesicles containing ricin A chain catalyzed the cleavage of this protein in vitro; however, proteolysis was observed at both neutral and acidic pH. Experiments using isolated endosomes demonstrated that both cysteine and aspartyl proteases were responsible for the cleavage of ricin A chain. The cysteine protease, cathepsin B, catalyzed toxin proteolysis in endosomes between pH 4.5 and 7.0 while aspartyl protease activity was maximal below pH 5.5. Radiolabeling the lumenal contents of macrophage endosomes confirmed that both the cysteine protease, cathepsin B, and the aspartyl protease, cathepsin D, were present in these vesicles. These proteases were not present on the plasma membrane but were found in early endosomes indicating they are derived from an intracellular source. The presence of proteases with different pH optima in early endosomes suggests that processing in these vesicles may be regulated by changes in endosomal pH. This result represents an important difference in protein processing in endosomes versus lysosomes and provides new insights into the function of endosomal proteases.     

Cleavage of parathyroid hormone in macrophage endosomes illustrates a novel pathway for intracellular processing of proteins

Most ligands which are taken up by macrophages are transported to lysosomes where they are degraded to their constituents by a concert of acid hydrolases. This process requires a number of intracellular events which result in the transport of ligands from light density endosomes to the more dense lysosomes. In contrast, our studies have shown that macrophages may process some incoming ligands in endosomes (Diment, S., and Stahl, P. D. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 15311-15317) and that cathepsin D, an aspartyl protease, is localized in these organelles (Diment, S., Leech, M. S., and Stahl, P. D. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 6901-6907). Using rabbit alveolar macrophages, which can be subjected to subcellular fractionation, we have traced the intracellular transport and processing of bovine parathyroid hormone (PTH-(1-84]. We present evidence that macrophages internalize PTH-(1-84). Once in endosomes the hormone is cleaved to fragments which include a bioactive peptide, PTH-(1-34), and then the fragments are returned to the extracellular medium, without delivery to lysosomes. The entire cycle from initial binding to release of PTH-(1-34) is achieved within 10-15 min, a time period consistent with findings in vivo. Our data provide evidence for a novel route for processing of an endocytosed ligand.     

Effect of metabolic alterations on the density and the contents of cathepsins B, H and L of lysosomes in rat macrophages

Crude lysosomal preparations from non-cultured peritoneal rat macrophages were shown to separate into high-density fractions rich in cathepsin B and H and low-density fractions rich in cathepsin L when layered on Percoll density gradients. Morphologically, the heavy lysosome fractions were found to consist mainly of lysosomes labeled with gold particles for anti-(cathepsin B, H and L). The light lysosome fractions contained lysosomes labeled with anti-(cathepsin B, H and L) and many other contaminants. In addition, small vesicles labeled by anti-(cathepsin L) were detected in these fractions. Addition of calf serum to the cultured macrophages induced an increase in the density of lysosomes in both dose-dependent and time-dependent fashions. Cathepsins B, H and L all shifted to the heavy lysosome fractions following the addition of serum. Progressive increase in fluorescence-labeled calf IgG in the heavy lysosome fractions after its addition suggests that the continuous entrance of excess proteins to lysosomes causes an increase in their density. This idea is supported by the fact that the density of lysosomes increased in parallel with the accumulation of horseradish peroxidase taken up in the heavy lysosome fractions. Increase in the density of lysosomes after treatment with ethyl(2S,3S)-3[(S)-3-methyl-1-(3-methyl-butylcarbamoyl)]oxirane-2- carboxylate (E-64-d) was marked in the cells cultured with serum-containing medium but slight in serum-deprived cells. However, the level of pyruvate kinase, an autophagic sequestration marker in heavy autolysosomes from E-64-d-treated cells, was much higher in serum-deprived cells, indicating that the contribution of heterophagic sequestration towards an increase in the density of lysosomes is much greater than that of autophagy.     

Requirement of the human GARP complex for mannose 6-phosphate-receptor-dependent sorting of cathepsin D to lysosomes

The biosynthetic sorting of acid hydrolases to lysosomes relies on transmembrane, mannose 6-phosphate receptors (MPRs) that cycle between the TGN and endosomes. Herein we report that maintenance of this cycling requires the function of the mammalian Golgi-associated retrograde protein (GARP) complex. Depletion of any of the three GARP subunits, Vps52, Vps53, or Vps54, by RNAi impairs sorting of the precursor of the acid hydrolase, cathepsin D, to lysosomes and leads to its secretion into the culture medium. As a consequence, lysosomes become swollen, likely due to a buildup of undegraded materials. Missorting of cathepsin D in GARP-depleted cells results from accumulation of recycling MPRs in a population of light, small vesicles downstream of endosomes. These vesicles might correspond to intermediates in retrograde transport from endosomes to the TGN. Depletion of GARP subunits also blocks the retrograde transport of the TGN protein, TGN46, and the B subunit of Shiga toxin. These observations indicate that the mammalian GARP complex plays a general role in the delivery of retrograde cargo into the TGN. We also report that a Vps54 mutant protein in the Wobbler mouse strain is active in retrograde transport, thus explaining the viability of these mutant mice.     

Mannose 6-phosphate-independent targeting of cathepsin D to lysosomes in HepG2 cells.

We have studied the role of N-linked oligosaccharides and proteolytic processing on the targeting of cathepsin D to the lysosomes in the human hepatoma cell line HepG2. In the presence of tunicamycin cathepsin D was synthesized as an unglycosylated 43-kDa proenzyme which was proteolytically processed via a 39-kDa intermediate to a 28-kDa mature form. Only a small portion was secreted into the culture medium. During intracellular transport the 43-kDa procathepsin D transiently became membrane-associated independently of binding to the mannose 6-phosphate receptor. Subcellular fractionation showed that unglycosylated cathepsin D was efficiently targeted to the lysosomes via intermediate compartments similar to the enzyme in control cells. The results show that in HepG2 cells processing and transport of cathepsin D to the lysosomes is independent of mannose 6-phosphate residues. Inhibition of the proteolytic processing of 53-kDa procathepsin D by protease inhibitors caused this form to accumulate intracellularly. Subcellular fractionation revealed that the procathepsin D was transported to lysosomes, thereby losing its membrane association. Procathepsin D taken up by the mannose 6-phosphate receptor also transiently became membrane-associated, probably in the same compartment. We conclude that the mannose 6-phosphate-independent membrane-association is a transient and compartment-specific event in the transport of procathepsin D.     

Live Salmonella modulate expression of Rab proteins to persist in a specialized compartment and escape transport to lysosomes

We investigated the intracellular route of Salmonella in macrophages to determine a plausible mechanism for their survival in phagocytes. Western blot analysis of isolated phagosomes using specific antibodies revealed that by 5 min after internalization dead Salmonella-containing phagosomes acquire transferrin receptors (a marker for early endosomes), whereas by 30 min the dead bacteria are found in vesicles carrying the late endosomal markers cation-dependent mannose 6-phosphate receptors, Rab7 and Rab9. In contrast, live Salmonella-containing phagosomes (LSP) retain a significant amount of Rab5 and transferrin receptor until 30 min, selectively deplete Rab7 and Rab9, and never acquire mannose 6-phosphate receptors even 90 min after internalization. Retention of Rab5 and Rab18 and selective depletion of Rab7 and Rab9 presumably enable the LSP to avoid transport to lysosomes through late endosomes. The presence of immature cathepsin D (48 kDa) and selective depletion of the vacuolar ATPase in LSP presumably contributes to the less acidic pH of LSP. In contrast, proteolytically processed cathepsin D (M(r) 17,000) was detected by 30 min on the dead Salmonella-containing phagosomes. Morphological analysis also revealed that after uptake by macrophages, the dead Salmonella are transported to lysosomes, whereas the live bacteria persist in compartments that avoid fusion with lysosomes, indicating that live Salmonella bypass the normal endocytic route targeted to lysosomes and mature in a specialized compartment.     

An alternate targeting pathway for procathepsin L in mouse fibroblasts

In transformed mouse fibroblasts, a significant proportion of the lysosomal cysteine protease cathepsin L remains in cells as an inactive precursor which associates with membranes by a mannose phosphate-independent interaction. When microsomes prepared from these cells were resolved on sucrose gradients, this procathepsin L was localized in dense vesicles distinct from those enriched for growth hormone, which is secreted constitutively when expressed in fibroblasts. Ultrastructural studies using antibodies directed against the propeptide to avoid detection of the mature enzyme in lysosomes revealed that the proenzyme was concentrated in dense cores within small vesicles and multivesicular endosomes which labeled with antibodies specific for CD63. Consistent with the resemblance of these cores to those of regulated secretory granules, secretion of procathepsin L from fibroblasts was modestly stimulated by phorbol, 12-myristate, 13-acetate. When protein synthesis was blocked with cycloheximide and lysosomal proteolysis inhibited with leupeptin, procathepsin L was found to gradually convert to the active single-chain protease. The data suggest that when synthesis levels are high, a portion of the procathepsin L is packaged in dense cores within multivesicular endosomes localized near the plasma membrane. Gradual activation of this proenzyme achieves targeting of the proenzyme to lysosomes by a mannose phosphate receptor-independent pathway.     

Macrophage endosomes contain proteases which degrade endocytosed protein ligands

Rabbit alveolar macrophages rapidly internalize and degrade mannosylated bovine serum albumin (125I-mannose-BSA). Trichloroacetic acid-soluble degradation products appear in the cells as early as 6 min after uptake at 37 degrees C, and in the extracellular medium after 10 min. Incubation of endocytic vesicles containing this ligand in isotonic buffers at pH 7.4 + ATP resulted in intravesicular proteolysis, which was inhibited by monensin, nigericin, or ammonium chloride. At pH 5.0, degradation proceeded rapidly and was abolished by lysis of the vesicles with 0.1% Triton X-100. Readdition of lysosomes to the incubation mixture did not increase the rate of prelysosomal degradation. Proteolysis of 125I-mannose-BSA was optimal at pH 4.5, and inhibited by low concentrations of the cathepsin D inhibitor pepstatin A. After subcellular fractionation of the macrophages on Percoll gradients, 125I-mannose-BSA sedimented with prelysosomal vesicles and was not transported to secondary lysosomes. Addition of pepstatin A to extracellular medium during internalization of prebound 125I-mannose-BSA partially inhibited degradation of ligand, and resulted in transfer of undegraded 125I-mannose-BSA to lysosomes after 20 min. Using 125I-bovine serum albumin as a substrate for the protease in the presence of 0.1% Triton X-100, we have shown that as much as 36% of the total pepstatin A-sensitive activity sediments with nonlysosomal membranes. After intraendosomal iodination using lactoperoxidase, a labeled protease was isolated by affinity chromatography on pepstatin-agarose. The labeled protease, which had a subunit size of 46 kDa, was detected in endocytic vesicles after 5 min of internalization. These results suggest that a cathepsin D-like protease is responsible for the degradation of 125I-mannose-BSA in macrophages, and that this ligand is degraded in a prelysosomal vesicle.     

A role for small GTPase RhoA in regulating intracellular membrane traffic of lysosomes in invasive rat hepatoma cells

Small GTPase RhoA regulates signal transduction from receptors in the membrane to a variety of cellular events related to cell morphology, motility, cytoskeletal dynamics, cytokinesis, and tumour progression, but it is unclear how RhoA regulates intracellular membrane dynamics of lysosomes. We showed previously by confocal immunofluorescence microscopy that the transfection of dominant active RhoA in MM1 cells causes the dispersal translocation of lysosomes stained for cathepsin D throughout the cytoplasm. Y-27632, a selective inhibitor of p160ROCK, impeded the cellular redistribution of lysosomes and promoted reclustering of lysosomes toward the perinuclear region. Here we have further investigated whether the acidic lysosomal vesicles dispersed throughout the cytoplasm are applied to the early endosomes in the endocytic pathway, and we demonstrate that the dispersed lysosomes were accessible to endocytosed molecule such as dextran, and their acidity was not changed, as determined by increased accumulation of the acidotropic probe LysoTracker Red. Brefeldin A did not induce the tabulation of these dispersed lysosomes, but it caused early endosomes to form an extensive tubular network. The dispersed lysosomes associated with cathepsin D and LIMPII were not colocalized with early endosomes, and these vesicles were not inaccessible to the endocytosed anti-transferrin receptor antibody. Moreover, wortmannin, an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, induced a dramatic change in LIMPII-containing structures in which LIMPII-positive swollen large vacuoles were increased and small punctate structures disappeared in the cytoplasm. These swollen vacuoles were not doubly positive for LIMPII and transferrin receptor, and were not inaccessible to the internalized anti-transferrin receptor antibody. Therefore, our novel findings presented in this paper indicate that RhoA activity causes a selective translocation of lysosomes without perturbing the machinery of endocytic pathway.     

Acid hydrolases in early and late endosome fractions from rat liver.

We have examined the distribution of the cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor and five acid hydrolases in early and late endosomes and a receptor-recycling fraction isolated from livers of estradiol-treated rats. Enrichment of mannose 6-phosphate receptor mass relative to that of crude liver membranes was comparable in membranes of early and late endosomes but was even greater in membranes of the receptor-recycling fraction. Enrichment of acid hydrolase activities (aryl sulfatase, N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase, tartrate-sensitive acid phosphatase, and cholesteryl ester acid hydrolase) and cathepsin D mass was also comparable in early and late endosomes but was considerably lower in the receptor-recycling fraction. The enrichment of two acid hydrolases, acid phosphatase and cholesteryl ester acid hydrolase, in endosomes was severalfold greater than that of the other three examined, about 40% of that found in lysosomes. Acid phosphatase and cholesteryl ester acid hydrolase were partially associated with endosome membranes, whereas cathepsin D was found entirely in the endosome contents. These findings raise the possibility that lysosomal enzymes traverse early endosomes during transport to lysosomes in rat hepatocytes and suggest that the greater enrichment of some acid hydrolases in endosomes is related to their association with endosome membranes. Despite the substantial enrichment of lysosomal enzymes in hepatocytic endosomes, we found that two, cholesteryl ester acid hydrolase and cathepsin D, did not degrade cholesteryl esters and apolipoprotein B-100 of endocytosed low density lipoproteins in vivo, presumably because they are inactive at the pH within endosomes.     

Molecular forms of cathepsin D in coated vesicle preparations

We have studied the polypeptide pattern of cathepsin D associated with coated vesicle fractions prepared from human placenta. In these fractions cathepsin D was about 35-fold enriched in the precursor polypeptides as compared to the unfractionated tissue extract. The enrichment was more prominent if the vesicles were fractionated in the presence of Triton X-100. Adsorption of exogenously added metabolically labelled cathepsin D precursor to the fractionated material was negligible. It is likely that the precursor and may be also the mature cathepsin D polypeptides are present in the matrix of the coated vesicles. This finding substantiates the idea that coated vesicles participate in the transport of newly synthesized cathepsin D into the lysosomes.     

Biosynthesis of the multiple forms of rabbit cardiac cathepsin D

Rabbit cardiac cathepsin D exists as multiple isomeric forms of Mr = 48,000 within cardiac tissue. Their mechanism of formation and their functional role in cardiac protein degradation are unknown. We have previously demonstrated that cathepsin D is initially synthesized as an Mr = 53,000 precursor that is processed by limited proteolysis within cardiac lysosomes to the Mr = 48,000 active forms of the enzyme. To determine if the multiple forms of active cathepsin D originate from a common precursor, isolated perfused Langendorff rabbit hearts were labeled in pulse (15 or 30 min) and pulse-chase (30 or 150 min) experiments with [35S]methionine. Newly synthesized cathepsin D was isolated by butanol/Triton X-100 extraction and immunoadsorption with anti-cathepsin D IgG-Sepharose, and the isomeric forms were separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis and fluorography. After 15- and 30-min pulse perfusions, 35S-labeled cathepsin D appeared as a single precursor form (Mr = 53,000, pI = 6.6). After 30-min pulse and 30-min chase, the precursor was modified to yield multiple precursor forms, all with molecular weight 53,000, but with differing pI values (6.6-6.0). After 30-min pulse and 150-min chase perfusion, multiple forms of both precursor and proteolytically processed active cathepsin D (Mr = 48,000, pI = 6.2-5.6) were detected. The 35S-labeled, proteolytically processed forms of active cathepsin D co-migrated with the major cathepsin D forms present in cardiac tissue. Subcellular fractionation and perfusions in the presence of chloroquine demonstrated that the multiple precursor forms of cathepsin D originated in a nonlysosomal intracellular compartment. Thus, the multiple forms of active cathepsin D originate from a common high molecular weight precursor, and their synthesis occurs prior to the limited proteolysis of the precursor in cardiac lysosomes.     

Fusion of newly formed phagosomes with endosomes in intact cells and in a cell-free system

Phagosomes are membrane-bound vesicles, formed by the receptor-mediated internalization of particulate ligands, which exchange soluble and membrane proteins with other endocytic compartments as a part of their maturation process. This exchange of material is undoubtedly mediated by fusion of phagosomes with other membrane-bound compartments of the endocytic pathway. By using a particulate probe (fixed Staphylococcus aureus coated with mouse anti-dinitrophenol monoclonal antibody) localized in phagosomes and a soluble probe (dinitrophenol-derivitized beta-glucuronidase) internalized by receptor-mediated endocytosis, we have studied phagosome-endosome and phagosome-lysosome fusion in intact cells and in a cell-free system. Vesicle fusion was assessed by measuring beta-glucuronidase activity associated with S. aureus particles after lysis of the membranes. In intact macrophages, newly formed phagosomes fused with early endosomes and with lysosomes. Fusion with lysosomes was observed to commence after a short lag period of about 5 min. In broken-cell preparations, phagosomes were able to fuse with early endosomes. It was not possible to reconstitute phagosome-lysosome fusion in vitro. In vitro phagosome-endosome fusion required energy and cytosolic- and membrane-associated proteins. A nonhydrolyzable analog of GTP stimulated fusion at low cytosol concentrations and inhibited fusion at high cytosol concentrations. These observations indicate that the mechanisms mediating phagosome-endosome fusion are similar to those described for endosome-endosome fusion. Our results suggest that exchange of material with endosomes is an important step in the process of phagosome maturation.     

Endosomal density shift is related to a decrease in fusion capacity.

Dinitrophenol (DNP)-beta-glucuronidase and mannosylated anti-DNP IgG, which are endocytosed by the mannose receptor and delivered to lysosomes, were previously developed as probes for examination of fusion between early endosomes in a cell-free system. In this study, these probes were found to be transported by intact cells to endocytic vesicles with heavy buoyant density at different rates, as determined by Percoll gradient fractionation of cell homogenates. There was a concomitant loss of in vitro fusion activity as the ligands moved to dense compartments. In monensin-treated cells, DNP-beta-glucuronidase was retained in a light compartment corresponding to intracellular vesicles capable of fusion in vitro. Pulse-chase studies using a DNP-derivatized transferrin-alkaline phosphatase conjugate showed that a recycling ligand was always found in light intracellular vesicles that were capable of fusion to early endosomes in vitro. In contrast to cell-free systems, intact cells sequentially labeled with DNP-beta-glucuronidase and then mannosylated anti-DNP IgG showed ligand mixing in both early and late endocytic compartments. Treatment with nocodazole or colchicine did not affect the rate of DNP-beta-glucuronidase transport to heavy vesicles in intact cells, however, the extent of ligand mixing in late endosomes was decreased by microtubule disruption. Using sequentially labeled cells split into two groups, we directly compared ligand mixing in vitro to mixing by intact cells. Fusion alone does not mediate increases in vesicle density, since DNP-beta-glucuronidase/anti-DNP IgG complexes formed in vitro were found in light vesicles, while intact cells showed immune complexes predominantly in heavy vesicles. These results suggest that the density shift is an initial step in targeting to lysosomes.     

Xenopsin-related peptide(s) are formed from xenopsin precursor by leukocyte protease(s) and cathepsin D

Lysates of isolated rat polymorphonuclear leukocytes and macrophages were found to generate xenopsin-related peptides when incubated with a liver extract used as a source of precursor. The lysosomal enzyme, cathepsin D, was also shown to display this property and to share with the lysate a similar pH dependence (optimum, approximately pH 3.5) and sensitivity to the acid protease inhibitor, pepstatin A (ID50: lysate, 10 nM; cathepsin D, 30 nM). When subjected to HPLC on mu-Bondapak C-18, the xenopsin-related peptides generated by the lysate eluted near to those formed by cathepsin D and when tested in a radioreceptor assay for neurotensin, they displayed similar cross-reactivities (peak 2, approximately 50%; peak 1, approximately 100%). These results indicate that cathepsin D from lysed granulocytes can process precursor protein(s) to form radioreceptor-active xenopsin-related peptides.     

Characterization of porcine adrenocortical lysosomes

Porcine adrenocortical lysosomes were characterized by differential centrifugation, acid hydrolase contents, latency of cathepsin D, release of bound acid hydrolases in soluble form, and isopycnic density gradient centrifugation. Cathepsins D and B, beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase, beta-galactosidase and arylsulphatase were found exclusively in the lysosomes, while alpha-mannosidase and beta-glucuronidase were in both the lysosomal and microsomal fractions. The activity of cathepsin D was remarkably high, amounting to more than 6 times that in porcine liver and to more than 10 times that in liver of Sprague-Dawley rats in terms of units per g wet tissue. Porcine adrenocortical lysosomes showed a modal isopycnic density value of 1.155, but mitochondria a value of 1.145. The validity of these values was studied by investigating the possibilities of agglutination of organelles, damage to lysosomal membranes, disruption of mitochondria due to the hydrostatic pressure and by applying the same procedures of isopycnic centrifugation to hog and rat livers. After these validity tests, porcine adrenocortical lysosomes were concluded to be unique in their strikingly high content of cathepsin D as well as in their low modal isopycnic density which is very close to that of porcine adrenocortical mitochondria.     

Lysosomal enzyme precursors in coated vesicles derived from the exocytic and endocytic pathways

The molecular forms of two lysosomal enzymes, cathepsin C and cathepsin D, have been examined in lysosomes and coated vesicles (CVs) of rat liver. In addition, the relative proportion of these lysosomal enzymes residing in functionally distinct CV subpopulations was quantitated. CVs contained newly synthesized precursor forms of the enzymes in contrast to lysosomes where only the mature forms were detected. Exocytic and endocytic CV subpopulations were prepared by two completely different protocols. One procedure, a density shift method, uses cholinesterase to alter the density of CVs derived from exocytic or endocytic pathways. The other relies on electrophoretic heterogeneity to accomplish the CV subfractionation. Subpopulations of CVs prepared by either procedure showed similar results, when examined for their relative proportion of cathepsin C and cathepsin D precursors. Within the starting CV preparation, exocytic CVs contained approximately 80-90% of the total steady-state levels of these enzymes while the level in the endocytic population was approximately 10-13%. The implications of these findings are discussed with regard to lysosome trafficking.     

Cathepsin D precursors in clathrin-coated organelles from human fibroblasts

Coated vesicles were isolated from metabolically labeled human fibroblasts with the aid of affinity-purified antibodies against human brain clathrin and Staphylococcus aureus cells. The material adsorbed to the S. aureus cells was enriched in clathrin. When the S. aureus cells bearing the immunoadsorbed material were treated with 0.5% saponin, extracts containing the precursor form of cathepsin D were obtained. The extraction of the precursor was promoted in the presence of mannose 6-phosphate. Material adsorbed to S. aureus cells coated with control immunoglobulins was nearly free of clathrin and contained a small amount of the cathepsin D precursor (less than 20% of that adsorbed with anti-clathrin antibodies). The extraction of this cathepsin D precursor was independent of mannose 6-phosphate and was complete after a brief exposure to saponin. The amount of cathepsin D precursor in coated membranes varied between 0.4 and 2.5% of total precursor. Analysis of pulse chase-labeled fibroblasts revealed that cathepsin D was only transiently associated with coated membranes. The mean residence time of cathepsin D precursor in coated membranes was estimated to be 2 min. These observations support the view that coated membranes participate in the transfer of precursor forms of endogenous lysosomal enzymes to lysosomes.     

Processing of lipoproteins in human monocyte-macrophages

Subcellular fractionation of human monocyte-macrophages (HMM) yielded a fraction rich in endosomes, lysosomes, and mitochondria. This pellet was further fractionated in a metrizamide gradient and the subcellular organelles were distributed among seven distinct bands. All of the bands contained lysosomal enzymes in similar amounts. However one band, poor in mitochondria, was markedly enriched in cathepsin D and cholesteryl ester hydrolase activities. A number of different ligands (low density lipoproteins (LDL), malondialdehyde-altered LDL, beta-migrating very low density lipoprotein, high density lipoprotein, reductively methylated LDL, mannose-bovine serum albumin, and transferrin) were presented to HMM at a concentration of 20 micrograms/ml at 4 degrees C. Three minutes after warming the cells at 37 degrees C all ligands except two were found predominantly in the cathepsin D- and cholesteryl ester hydrolase-rich fraction. Unlike the other ligands, LDL had distributed to other more dense fractions and reductively methylated LDL was found mainly in less dense fractions. At a lower concentration, 2 micrograms/ml, the distribution of LDL was identical to the other ligands. In vitro incubation of the fractions obtained from the gradient suggested that cathepsin D was largely responsible for the hydrolysis of the lipoproteins. We conclude that studies of LDL metabolism in HMM must take into account the different processing of this ligand at commonly used concentrations.     

Two crystal structures for cathepsin D: the lysosomal targeting signal and active site.

Two crystal structures are described for the lysosomal aspartic protease cathepsin D (EC 3.4.23.5). The molecular replacement method was used with X-ray diffraction data to 3 A resolution to produce structures for human spleen cathepsin D and for bovine liver cathepsin D complexed with the 6-peptide inhibitor pepstatin A. The lysosomal targeting region of cathepsin D defined by previous expression studies [Barnaski et al. (1990) Cell, 63, 281-219] is located in well defined electron density on the surface of the molecules. This region includes the putative binding site of the cis-Golgi phosphotransferase which is responsible for the initial sorting step for soluble proteins destined for lysosomes by phosphorylating the carbohydrates on these molecules. Carbohydrate density is visible at both expected positions on the cathepsin D molecules and, at the best defined position, four sugar residues extend towards the lysosomal targeting region. The active site of the protease and the active site cleft substrate binding subsites are described using the pepstatin inhibited structure. The model geometry for human cathepsin D has rms deviations from ideal of bonds and angles of 0.013 A and 3.2 degrees respectively. For bovine cathepsin D the corresponding figures are 0.014 A and 3.3 degrees. The crystallographic residuals (R factors) are 16.1% and 15.8% for the human and inhibited bovine cathepsin D models respectively. The free R factors, calculated with 10% of the data reserved for testing the models and not used for refinement, are 25.1% and 24.1% respectively.