Granzyme M: behind enemy lines.
Cell Death Differ
; 21(3): 359-68, 2014 Mar.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-24413154
ABSTRACT
The granule-exocytosis pathway is the major mechanism via which cytotoxic lymphocytes eliminate virus-infected and tumor cells. In this pathway, cytotoxic lymphocytes release granules containing the pore-forming protein perforin and a family of serine proteases known as granzymes into the immunological synapse. Pore-formation by perforin facilitates entry of granzymes into the target cell, where they can activate various (death) pathways. Humans express five different granzymes, of which granzymes A and B have been most extensively characterized. However, much less is known about granzyme M (GrM). Recently, structural analysis and advanced proteomics approaches have determined the primary and extended specificity of GrM. GrM functions have expanded over the past few years not only can GrM efficiently induce cell death in tumor cells, it can also inhibit cytomegalovirus replication in a noncytotoxic manner. Finally, a role for GrM in lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory responses has been proposed. In this review, we recapitulate the current status of GrM expression, substrate specificity, functions, and inhibitors.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Granzymes
Limits:
Animals
/
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Cell Death Differ
Year:
2014
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Países Bajos