Cathepsins H (CTSH), L (CTSL), B (CTSB) and S (CTSS) are papain family
cysteine proteinases involved in a variety of physiologic processes such as
proenzyme activation, enzyme inactivation, antigen presentation, hormone
maturation, tissue remodeling, and bone matrix resorption.
NCBI Summary:
This gene encodes a member of the C1 family of peptidases. Alternative splicing of this gene results in multiple transcript variants. At least one of these variants encodes a preproprotein that is proteolytically processed to generate multiple protein products. These products include the cathepsin B light and heavy chains, which can dimerize to form the double chain form of the enzyme. This enzyme is a lysosomal cysteine protease with both endopeptidase and exopeptidase activity that may play a role in protein turnover. It is also known as amyloid precursor protein secretase and is involved in the proteolytic processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP). Incomplete proteolytic processing of APP has been suggested to be a causative factor in Alzheimer's disease, the most common cause of dementia. Overexpression of the encoded protein has been associated with esophageal adenocarcinoma and other tumors. Multiple pseudogenes of this gene have been identified. [provided by RefSeq, Nov 2015]
Jokimaa et al reported the differential expression patterns of cathepsins B, H, K, L and S in the mouse ovary.
Cathepsins B, H, K, L and S belong to a family of lysosomal cysteine proteinases which participate in a variety of proteolytic processes, including degradation of extracellular matrix. Although the presence of cathepsin mRNAs in the ovary has been reported earlier, very little information is available on their temporospatial expression. In the present study, Northern analysis revealed cyclic changes in the mRNA levels for cathepsins B, H, K, L and S during the 4-day oestrous cycle in the mouse ovary. Immunohistochemical localization revealed distinct expression patterns suggesting different functions for the cathepsins studied. Cathepsin B was predominantly seen in the germinal epithelium throughout the oestrous cycle. Upon follicular maturation, an increasing number of granulosa cells became positive for all cathepsins. Strong cathepsin H staining was sharply defined in theca externa which also stained for cathepsins K and S. Corpus luteum was the predominant location of cathepsin L. The distribution of cathepsin S resembled that of cathepsin L. The developing oocyte stained positive for all cathepsins. In-situ hybridization confirmed the differential production of cathepsin mRNAs by granulosa, thecal and luteal cells. These complex temporal and spatial expression patterns at different stages of the oestrous cycle and follicular development suggest divergent functions for specific cathepsins in follicular development, growth and rupture.
Changes in mouse granulosa cell gene expression during early luteinization. McRae RS et al. Changes in gene expression during granulosa cell luteinization have been measured using serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE). Immature normal mice were treated with pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) or PMSG followed, 48 h later, by human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Granulosa cells were collected from preovulatory follicles after PMSG injection or PMSG/hCG injection and SAGE libraries generated from the isolated mRNA. The combined libraries contained 105,224 tags representing 40,248 unique transcripts. Overall, 715 transcripts showed a significant difference in abundance between the two libraries of which 216 were significantly down-regulated by hCG and 499 were significantly up-regulated. Among transcripts differentially regulated, there were clear and expected changes in genes involved in steroidogenesis as well as clusters of genes involved in modeling of the extracellular matrix, regulation of the cytoskeleton and intra and intercellular signaling. The SAGE libraries described here provide a base for functional investigation of the regulation of granulosa cell luteinization.
Follicle stages
Primary, Secondary, Antral, Preovulatory
Comment
Liu HC, et al 2001 reported tha application of complementary DNA microarray (DNA chip) technology in the study of gene expression profiles during
folliculogenesis.
They used oligonucleotide microarray (DNA chip)-based hybridization
analysis to gain a comprehensive view of gene expression and regulation
involved in folliculogenesis.
Preantral follicles isolated from day 14 B6D2F-1 mice
were stimulated in vitro to form Graafian follicles. Total RNA extracted from
the mouse preantral and Graafian follicles were reverse transcribed, labeled
with digoxigenin-11-dUTP, and then hybridized with Clontech Atlas mouse cDNA
expression arrays for comparison. Of 588 known studied genes, 39 and 61 were detected in preantral follicles and in Graafian follicles, respectively, and 17 were highly
expressed consistently in both preantral and Graafian follicles. Performing
clustering analysis, 46 were upregulated as the follicles advanced to mature stages.
The CATHEPSIN B gene is up-regulated in the Graafian follicles.
Phenotypes
Mutations
1 mutations
Species: ovine
Mutation name: type: naturally occurring fertility: fertile Comment: Genome-wide differential expression profiling of mRNAs and lncRNAs associated with prolificacy in Hu sheep. Feng X et al. (2018) Reproductive ability, especially prolificacy, impacts sheep profitability. Hu sheep, a unique Chinese breed, is recognized for its high prolificacy, early sexual maturity, and year-round estrus. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying high prolificacy in Hu sheep. To explore the potential mRNAs and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) involved in Hu sheep prolificacy, we performed an ovarian genome-wide analysis of mRNAs and lncRNAs(Kung, 2013 #2) during the follicular stage using Hu sheep of high prolificacy (HP, litter size = 3; three consecutive lambings) and low prolificacy (LP, litter size = 1; three consecutive lambings). Plasma LH concentration was higher in the HP group than in the LP group (P < 0.05) during the follicular stage. Subsequently, 76 differentially expressed mRNAs (DE-mRNAs) and five differentially expressed lncRNAs (DE-lncRNAs) were identified by pairwise comparison; qRT-PCR analysis of 10 randomly selected DE genes (mRNA and lncRNA) were consistent with the sequencing results. Gene Ontology analysis of DE-mRNAs revealed significant enrichment in immune response components, actin filament severingand phagocytosis. Pathway enrichment analysis of DE-mRNAs indicated a predominance of immune function pathways, including phagosomes, lysosomes and antigen processing. We constructed a co-expression network of DE-mRNAs and mRNA-lncRNAs, withC1qA,CD53,CTSB,CTSS,TYROBP, andAIF1as the hub genes. Finally, the expression of lysosomal protease cathepsin genes,CTSBandCTSD,were significantly upregulated in sheep ovaries in the HP group compared to the LP group (P < 0.05). These differential mRNAs and lncRNAs may provide information on the molecular mechanisms underlying sheep prolificacy.//////////////////