THE ROLE OF CATHEPSIN D IN PATHOGENESIS OF ACUTE POSTSTREPTOCOCCAL GLOMERULONEPHRITIS

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Cathepsin D activity was studied by a fluoremetric assay using the urine of acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritic (APSGN) patients aged from 3-14 yr and was elevated when compared with 4 groups of controls. This activity cannot be accounted for by erythrocytes and/or leukocytes in the urine of these patients, since hematuric and pyuric controls did not exhibit an amount of enzyme activity greater than the normal control group. Cathepsin D activity can be attributed to lysosomal enzymes released from polymorphonuclear leukocytes which are in close contact with glomercular basement membrane. C3 [the 3rd complement component] levels in serum and cathepsin D activity in urine of these patients showed no correlation.