Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a peptide hormone with natriuretic, vasodilatory and renin inhibitory properties (1, 2, 3). BNP belongs to a family of structurally similar peptide hormones that also includes atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) and urodilatin. These peptides are characterized by a 17 amino acid ring structure with a disulfide bond between two cy...

Introduction Caspase-1, belonging to the family of cystein proteases, is well-known for its involvement in IL-1b and IL-18 maturation. Although, caspase-1 is one of the best described caspase-family-members, open questions concerning autoinflammatory diseases, caused by procaspase-1 variants (e.g. ICE-Fever), remain. ICE-Fever patients suffer from chronic febrile episodes, although procaspase-1...

It is well known that hepatic siderosis and high serum iron levels occur in most PCT patients. The role of genetic hemochromatosis in the pathogenesis of iron overload in PCT has been hypothesized for many years but it is only recently that the genetic defect causing hemochromatosis has been identified. There are two known mutations in the hemochromatosis gene (HFE): cystein 282 tyrosine (Cys28...

Introduction The proinflammatory enzyme caspase-1 belongs to the family of cystein proteases and plays a pivotal role in innate immunity. Classically, caspase-1 mediated proinflammatory signaling is thought to be dependent on its enzymatic activity. Interestingly, a number of patients carrying variants of the CASP1 gene show proinflammatory symptoms like febrile episodes despite of reduced enzy...

The third amino acid sequence of a high potential iron-sulfur protein, that of the non-sulfur purple photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas gelatinosa, has been determined. It consists of a single polypeptide chain of 74 amino acid residues, which is slightly smaller than the high potential iron-sulfur proteins from the sulfur purple bacteria Chromatium vinosum (85 residues) and Thiocapsa pf...

Despite the strong immune responses elicited after natural infection with Trypanosoma cruzi or vaccination against it, parasite survival suggests that these responses are insufficient or inherently inadequate. T. cruzi contains a major cystein proteinase, cruzipain, which has a catalytic N-terminal domain and a C-terminal extension. Immunizations that employed recombinant cruzipain or its N- an...

Cancer remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide, therefore food products are being investigated for potential prevention or treatment strategies. The ingredient, barley grass extract (Hordeum vulgare L.; Bex) is used to prevent or ameliorate various types of disease. In cancer, Bex has been revealed to inhibit tumor growth. However, its effect on cancer cells is yet to be clearly defined....