CYSTEINE PROTEINASES IN ARTHRITIS AND INFLAMMATION

Balanced enzymatic activity is one of the keystones of physiology and pathophysiology. In organisms, the up- and downregulation of proteolyt ic enzymes reflects physiological adaptation as well as the presence o r development of disease. Advances in molecular biology have revealed numerous aspects in the held of cysteine proteinase research. Several novel members of this growing family of proteinases, such as cathepsin s H, S, and O, have been found to participate in inflammatory and arth ritic diseases. Interestingly, the majority of the data addressing the involvement of cysteine proteinases in pathophysiological pathways ar e the result of intensive research on two diseases, periodontal diseas e and rheumatoid arthritis, which share distinct features of cysteine- proteinase-modulated inflammation and matrix degradation.