Purification and cloning of aggrecanase-1: a member of the ADAMTS family of proteins.

Tortorella, M D; Burn, T C; Pratta, M A; Abbaszade, I; Hollis, J M; Liu, R; Rosenfeld, S A; Copeland, R A et al. · Science · 1999

Level V

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Abstract

We purified, cloned, and expressed aggrecanase, a protease that is thought to be responsible for the degradation of cartilage aggrecan in arthritic diseases. Aggrecanase-1 [a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs-4 (ADAMTS-4)] is a member of the ADAMTS protein family that cleaves aggrecan at the glutamic acid-373-alanine-374 bond. The identification of this protease provides a specific target for the development of therapeutics to prevent cartilage degradation in arthritis.

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