NUTRITION, LYSOSOMAL PROTEASES, AND PROTEIN BREAKDOWN

We review the role played by the lysosomal proteases on cellular prote in breakdown and their relation to nutrition research. Several recent works have shown that an important group of lysosomal proteases (cathe psins) are directly responsible for the maintenance of protein breakdo wn. The determination of their enzyme activity or measurement, of mRNA s as an index of gene expression have provided new views about the mec hanisms of protein-breakdown regulation. The introduction of molecular biology could provide new ways with which to manipulate the catabolic response of injured patients.