Pathophysiological Aspects of Proteases

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the multifaceted field of protease in the cellular environment and focuses on the recently elucidated functions of complex proteolytic systems in physiology and pathophysiology. Given the breadth and depth of information covered in the respective contributions, the book will be immensely useful for researchers working to identify targets for drug development. Multidisciplinary in scope, the book bridges the gap between fundamental and translational research, with applications in the biomedical and pharmaceutical industry, making it a thought-provoking read for basic and applied scientists engaged in biomedical research.

 

Proteases represent one of the largest and most diverse families of enzymes known, and we now know that they are involved in every aspect of a given organism’s life functions. Under physiological conditions, proteases are regulated by their endogenous inhibitors. However, when the activity of proteases is not correctly regulated, disease processes such as tumour progression, vascular remodelling, atherosclerotic plaque progression, ulcer, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and inflammation can result. Many infective microorganisms require proteases for replication or use them as virulence factors, which has facilitated the development of protease-targeted therapies for a variety of parasitic diseases.

Dr. Sajal Chakraborti is a Professor of Biochemistry in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, West Bengal, India. He received his PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Calcutta in 1982, and DSc in Biochemistry from the University of Kalyani in 2004. His main areas of interest are regulation of phospholipase A2 and -D, Na+/K+ -ATPase, Ca2+ATPase and NADPH oxidase in pulmonary vascular cells; biochemistry of proteases and anti-proteases; and oxidant and calcium signalling by different stimulants such as angiotensin-1, thromboxan A2, endothelin-1 and Leukotriene D4 in regulating pulmonary vascular tone.

He received a Fulbright visiting fellowship to pursue research at the Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University, USA from 1987 to 1989, and at the Pulmonary Division, University of Utah Medical School and New York Medical College, New York, USA from 1989 to mid-1990. He joined the University of Kalyanias a Reader in Biochemistry in 1998. Dr. Chakraborti is actively involved in research and has more than 100 publications in prominent journals to his credit. He has also contributed chapters to books published by Springer and Elsevier. He has edited four books with Springer, namely: Proteases in Health and Disease; Role of Proteases in Cellular Dysfunction; Regulation of Membrane Na/K-ATPase; and Regulation of Ca2+ ATPases, V-ATPases and F-ATPases.

Dr. Naranjan S. Dhalla is Distinguished Professor at the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada. His expertise includes the subcellular and molecular basis of heart function in health and disease. He has been engaged in multidisciplinary research and education for promoting the scientific basis of cardiology, as well as training of professional manpower for combating heart disease for over 45 years.