Aggrecanases are extracellular

proteolytic Proteolysis is the breakdown of proteins into smaller polypeptides or amino acids. Uncatalysed, the hydrolysis of peptide bonds is extremely slow, taking hundreds of years. Proteolysis is typically catalysed by cellular enzymes called proteases, ...

enzyme Enzymes () are proteins that act as biological catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecules known as products. A ...

s that are members of the

ADAMTS ADAMTS (short for a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs) is a family of multidomain extracellular protease enzymes. 19 members of this family have been identified in humans, the first of which, ADAMTS1, was described in 199 ...

Disintegrin Disintegrins are a family of small proteins (45–84 amino acids in length) from viper venoms that function as potent inhibitors of both platelet aggregation and integrin-dependent cell adhesion. Operation Disintegrins work by countering the blo ...

And

Metalloprotease A metalloproteinase, or metalloprotease, is any protease enzyme whose catalytic mechanism involves a metal. An example is ADAM12 which plays a significant role in the fusion of muscle cells during embryo development, in a process known as myogen ...

with

Thrombospondin Thrombospondins (TSPs) are a family of secreted glycoproteins with antiangiogenic functions. Due to their dynamic role within the extracellular matrix they are considered matricellular proteins. The first member of the family, thrombospondin 1 (T ...

Motifs) family. Aggrecanases act on large

proteoglycan Proteoglycans are proteins that are heavily glycosylated. The basic proteoglycan unit consists of a "core protein" with one or more covalently attached glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chain(s). The point of attachment is a serine (Ser) residue to whic ...

s known as

aggrecan Aggrecan (ACAN), also known as cartilage-specific proteoglycan core protein (CSPCP) or chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 1, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''ACAN'' gene. This gene is a member of the lectican (chondroitin sulfate prote ...

s, which are components of connective tissues such as

cartilage Cartilage is a resilient and smooth type of connective tissue. In tetrapods, it covers and protects the ends of long bones at the joints as articular cartilage, and is a structural component of many body parts including the rib cage, the neck an ...

. The inappropriate activity of aggrecanase is a mechanism by which cartilage degradation occurs in diseases such as

arthritis Arthritis is a term often used to mean any disorder that affects joints. Symptoms generally include joint pain and stiffness. Other symptoms may include redness, warmth, swelling, and decreased range of motion of the affected joints. In som ...

. At least two forms of aggrecanase exist in humans:

ADAMTS4 A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 4 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ''ADAMTS4'' gene. This gene encodes a member of the ADAMTS (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs) protein fam ...

or aggrecanase-1 and

ADAMTS5 A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 5 also known as ADAMTS5 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ''ADAMTS5'' gene. Function ADAMTS5 is a member of the ADAMTS (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombo ...

or aggrecanase-2. Both proteins contain

thrombospondin Thrombospondins (TSPs) are a family of secreted glycoproteins with antiangiogenic functions. Due to their dynamic role within the extracellular matrix they are considered matricellular proteins. The first member of the family, thrombospondin 1 (T ...

(TS) motifs required for proper recognition of substrates. Although both proteins can cleave the substrate aggrecan at the same position, they differ in kinetics and in secondary cleavage sites.

References

ADAMTS EC 3.4.24 {{protein-stub