Earthworm protease in anti-thrombosis and anti-fibrosis

• Published in: Biochimica et biophysica acta. General subjects Vol. 1863; no. 2; pp. 379 - 383
• Main Authors: Wang, Xiu-Mei, Fan, Shi-Chao, Chen, Yao, Ma, Xiao-Feng, He, Rong-Qiao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.02.2019
• Subjects: Earthworm protease; HBeAgase; Ischemic hypoxia; Organ fibrosis; Substrate specificity; Earthworm protease; Ischemic hypoxia; Organ fibrosis; Substrate specificity; HBeAgase
• ISSN: 0304-4165; 1872-8006
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2018.11.006

Earthworms are widely used in basic and applied research in medicine, food, environment and agriculture, in which for instance earthworm protease has its own biochemical features. This review summarizes earthworm protease biochemical features in anti-thrombosis and anti-fibrosis, and provides new perspectives for earthworm to be used in biochemical and pharmaceutical studies. Earthworm protease functions in anti-thrombosis by its fibrinolytic activity and inhibiting platelets aggregation, and anti-fibrosis by its decreasing fibronectin, collagen and laminin, showing a broad substrate specificity. The protease regulators (U3EE) from earthworm also has multiple functions acting as an activator and an inhibitor on different target proteins. Nonetheless, the protease improves the substrate selectivity through substrate-induced changes in the protease active site conformation impact on subsequent reactions with substrates. It is predictable that both biochemical and applied studies of earthworm proteins including protease will be wider and deeper in the future. •Earthworm protease functions in anti-thrombosis and anti-fibrosis.•Earthworm protease has a broad substrate specificity.•Earthworm protease improves substrate selectivity in a substrate-induced way.•Earthworm protein should be further studied to promote its application.