Inhibition of invariant chain processing, antigen-induced proliferative responses, and the development of collagen-induced arthritis and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by a small molecule cysteine protease inhibitor.

Members of the papain family of cysteine proteases (cathepsins) mediate late stage processing of MHC class II-bound invariant chain (Ii), enabling dissociation of Ii, and binding of antigenic peptide to class II molecules. Recognition of cell surface class II/Ag complexes by CD4(+) T cells then leads to T cell activation. Herein, we demonstrate that a pan-active cathepsin inhibitor, SB-331750, attenuated the processing of whole cell Ii p10 to CLIP by Raji cells, and DBA/1, SJL/J, and C57BL/6 splenocytes. In Raji cells and C57BL/6 splenocytes, SB-331750 inhibited class II-associated Ii processing and reduced surface class II/CLIP expression, whereas in SB-331750-treated DBA/1 and SJL/J splenocytes, class II-associated Ii processing intermediates were undetectable. Incubation of lymph node cells/splenocytes from collagen-primed DBA/1 mice and myelin basic protein-primed SJL/J mice with Ag in the presence of SB-331750 resulted in concentration-dependent inhibition of Ag-induced proliferation. In vivo administration of SB-331750 to DBA/1, SJL/J, and C57BL/6 mice inhibited splenocyte processing of whole cell Ii p10 to CLIP. Prophylactic administration of SB-331750 to collagen-immunized/boosted DBA/1 mice delayed the onset and reduced the severity of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), and reduced paw tissue levels of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha. Similarly, treatment of myelin basic protein-primed SJL/J lymph node cells with SB-331750 delayed the onset and reduced the severity of adoptively transferred experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Therapeutic administration of SB-331750 reduced the severity of mild/moderate CIA and EAE. These results indicate that pharmacological inhibition of cathepsins attenuates CIA and EAE, potentially via inhibition of Ii processing, and subsequent Ag-induced T cell activation.

Cathepsin S expression is up-regulated following balloon angioplasty in the hypercholesterolemic rabbit.

OBJECTIVE: Neointimal development following balloon angioplasty involves many factors including smooth muscle cell (SMC) migration and proliferation and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. Further, in hypercholesterolemic (HC) conditions, there is an influx of macrophage foam cells (FCs) into the restenotic lesion, which also involves degradation of the basement membrane and surrounding ECM. The ECM remodeling that occurs during restenosis has been shown to be mediated by various proteases. Here we have investigated the role of cathepsin S (CatS), a cysteine protease, in this process. METHODS AND RESULTS: We have demonstrated by Taqman quantitative PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry that CatS is up-regulated in restenotic lesions of HC rabbits following balloon injury of the iliofemoral artery. CatS mRNA expression was elevated 28-fold in balloon-injured vessels relative to uninjured contralateral vessels in HC rabbits 8 weeks post-angioplasty (p<0.05). CatS protein expression was detected within 1 day post-injury, persisted throughout the entire time course evaluated (60 days post-injury), and was co-localized with SMCs, macrophages, and FCs. In contrast, cystatin C (CysC), the endogenous inhibitor of cathepsins, was only minimally up-regulated following injury. CysC mRNA expression was elevated 3.5-fold in balloon-injured vessels relative to uninjured contralateral vessels in HC rabbits 8 weeks post-angioplasty (p<0.005), and up-regulation of protein expression was not detected until days 28 and 60 post-injury. Additional biochemical studies using recombinant rabbit CatS revealed that rabbit CatS digests laminin, fibronectin, and type I collagen. Further, CatS expression was evaluated in SMCs that were induced to migrate through a matrix-coated Boyden chamber upon platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) stimulation. The addition of a selective CatS inhibitor reduced SMC migration dose-dependently with an 80% reduction in migration at 30 nM (p<0.005). Additionally, we have shown that CatS protein expression by human macrophages was increased upon stimulation with oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL), implying augmentation of CatS production during foam cell formation. CONCLUSION: Taken together, our results indicate an enhanced expression of CatS during neointima formation and it is associated with invading SMCs, macrophages, and FCs, highlighting the importance of CatS in the pathogenesis of restenosis.