Nigel M. Hooper – författare

In all organs of the body, proteases have critical roles to play both in normal development and functioning and in disease states. The brain is no exception to this, with proteases having emerging roles in synaptic plasticity, memory, neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and prion diseases, ischemia and traumatic brain injury, inflammatory and infectious diseases, and tumor progression. Proteases in the Brain brings together a wide range of topics under this central theme and highlights the large number of proteases involved in these normal and disease processes.

Proteases in the Brain reviews the role and regulation of proteases in, Alzheimer’s disease, brain ischemia and traumatic brain injury, human glioma, inflammatory and infectious diseases of the central nervous system, metabolism of the prion protein, modulating synaptic activity, multiple sclerosis, neuronal plasticity and memory consolidation, Parkinson’s disease, processing, conversion and inactivation of neuropeptides.

Proteases in the Brain is a timely and useful source of information both for those well-versed in the role of proteases in the brain, and for those who are beginning to realize the important role of this family of enzymes in brain function and dysfunction.

The ADAM Family of Proteases provides the first comprehensive review of the roles of ADAMs and the related ADAMTS proteases in biology and disease. Although a few members of the ADAM (a disintegrin and metalloprotease) family have been known for some time, it is only in recent years through advances in genome sequencing that the large size of this family of zinc metalloproteases has become apparent. These proteins have multiple domains including a protease domain and a disintegrin domain. A branch of the family, called ADAMTS, also have thrombospondin-like motifs. The role of ADAMs and ADAMTS members in a diversity of biological processes is gradually coming to light. For example, some ADAMs have critical roles in the ectodomain shedding of membrane proteins including tumour necrosis factor-a, the cell signalling molecule Notch and the Alzheimer’s amyloid precursor protein. Other ADAM and ADAMTS family members have key roles to play in sperm function and fertility, collagen processing, development, cardiac hypertrophy and arthritis.

In recent years a growing number of proteases have been identified that catalyse peptide bond hydrolysis in the plane of the cellular membrane. These so-called ‘intramembrane-cleaving proteases’ (I-CLiPs) are involved in a diverse range of cellular processes, including cell regulation, signalling, quorum sensing, protein processing, lipid metabolism and the unfolded protein response. Some I-CLiPs play critical roles in diseases such as Alzheimer’s and viral infection. The authors, who are all world leaders in this exciting field of cell biology, provide an overview of the various proteases including recent data derived from the structural determination of some of the I-CliPs, and discuss the various roles that these proteases play in biology and disease. The aim of this book is to provide an update on this emerging group of unusual but important proteases for both the specialist and those with a broader interest in proteases. Amongst the target audience will be protease researchers, enzymologists, those working in academia and the pharmaceutical industry on biological processes and diseases involving I-CLiPs.

Proteases in Tissue Remodelling of Lung and Heart is unique for its comprehensive presentation of protease function in lung and heart under both physiological conditions and major diseases manifesting in these two organs. The individual chapters have been written by leaders in the field who paid much attention to outline in great detail the role of proteases in the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of disease. Available animal models (of disease, transgenic, or knock-out) are extensively referred to and experimental data obtained thereby are discussed in the context of patient-derived data.

Proteases in Tissue Remodelling of Lung and Heart: *is devoted to proteases in lung and heart specifically and extensively, *covers major diseases of the lung and heart, *extensively introduces individual proteases (or families thereof), *presents up-to-date patient-derived and experimental data, *covers most aspects of protease function in disease.

The 8th volume in the Proteases in Biology and Disease series focuses on the role of proteases in virus function and their potential as anti-viral targets. Viral infections are still difficult to threat and some remained life-threatening diseases in spite of antiviral drug research over decades. Proteases are still regarded as an Achilles’ heel of the pathogens and, thus, protease inhibitors may help to handle the known and the emerging viral threads. The book discusses viral proteases of the most important pathogenic viruses, responsible for severe diseases: AIDS, SARS, Hepatitis, Cytomegalovirus, T-cell lymphotropic virus, Picornavirus. This book focuses specifically on the viral proteases, crucial prerequisites for viral entry into cells and viral replication. Viral proteases represent an important pharmaceutical target. The current stage of protease inhibitor development and therapy are summarised and discussed by experts in the field. This volume represents a timely and valuable continuation of the Proteases in Biology and Disease series. The reader will learn the potential for proteases as targets for effective anti-virals. This book will be a valuable source of information on viral proteases and provoke further research in this important field.