Human sputum cathepsin B degrades proteoglycan, is inhibited by a2-macroglobulin and modulated by neutrophil elastase cleavage of cathepsin B precursor and cystatin C
The high-Mr alkali-stable form of cathepsin B was purified from purulent human sputum. It was shown to solubilize proteoglycan monomer entrapped in polyacrylamide at a rate comparable with that of human lysosomal cathepsin B. Like the enzyme from lysosomes, sputum cathepsin B was bound by human alpha 2-macroglobulin, which inhibited its action on proteoglycan. Cystatin C in purulent sputum was sho