Prolyl Endopeptidase: Difference between revisions
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[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coeliac_disease Celiac Disease](CD) is a genetic disorder marked by diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss, and villous atrophy due to the consumption of certain proteins such as gluten and other [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prolamin prolamins] found in wheat and wheat subspecies. The symptoms of CD are due to an auto-immune inflammatory reaction that occurs in the small intestine due to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prolamin prolamins] that are rich in proline residues and known to be resistant to many proteases. | [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coeliac_disease Celiac Disease](CD) is a genetic disorder marked by diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss, and villous atrophy due to the consumption of certain proteins such as gluten and other [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prolamin prolamins] found in wheat and wheat subspecies. The symptoms of CD are due to an auto-immune inflammatory reaction that occurs in the small intestine due to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prolamin prolamins] that are rich in proline residues and known to be resistant to many proteases. | ||
There is currently no cure for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coeliac_disease Celiac Disease] and the main treatment is to simply avoid eating [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prolamin | There is currently no cure for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coeliac_disease Celiac Disease] and the main treatment is to simply avoid eating foods containing [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prolamin prolamins]. | ||
Prolyl endopeptidases are a promising therapeutic agent due to their ability to degrade | Prolyl endopeptidases are a promising therapeutic agent due to their ability to degrade proline rich [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prolamin prolamins] and inhibit the inflammatory reaction. An early idea for treatment is to orally administer certain microbial PEPs which could directly degrade [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prolamin prolamins] in the intestine and reduce the auto-immune response. The key for this therapy would be to to protect the PEPs from being degraded by gastric acids while allowing them to be able to be functional in the small intestine once the acidity is decreased.<ref name="Ehren2">PMID:19621078</ref> | ||
Research by Ehren, Govindarajan, Morón, Minshull, and Khosla has shown the ability to engineer the prolyl endopeptidase of ''Sphingomonas capsulata'' to increase the activity of this PEP under simulated gastric conditions showing the relevance of PEPs as a potential therapeutic agent for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coeliac_disease Celiac Disease].<ref name="Ehren1">PMID:19621078</ref> | Research by Ehren, Govindarajan, Morón, Minshull, and Khosla has shown the ability to engineer the prolyl endopeptidase of ''Sphingomonas capsulata'' to increase the activity of this PEP under simulated gastric conditions showing the relevance of PEPs as a potential therapeutic agent for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coeliac_disease Celiac Disease].<ref name="Ehren1">PMID:19621078</ref> | ||
=== Neurological Disorders === | === Neurological Disorders === | ||
As well as having a proposed role in the degradation of neuropeptides PEPs have also been linked to several specific neurological disorders. It has been found that patients suffering from depression had decreased PEP activity and those suffering from psychosis have increased PEP activity showing the importance of maintaining a balanced level of PEP activity in the brain. PEP inhibitors are a current point of research in hopes of finding ways to balance brain PEP activity. | As well as having a proposed role in the degradation of neuropeptides PEPs have also been linked to several specific neurological disorders. It has been found that patients suffering from depression had decreased PEP activity and those suffering from psychosis have increased PEP activity showing the importance of maintaining a balanced level of PEP activity in the brain. PEP inhibitors are a current point of research in hopes of finding ways to balance brain PEP activity.<ref name="Gass"/> | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
<References/> | <References/> | ||