昆虫基质金属蛋白酶研究进展

Matrix metalloproteases in insects

经过长期的进化,昆虫已形成了完善的变态发育和天然免疫机制以适应自然界环境变化。在昆虫变态发育和免疫过程中产生的冗余蛋白质和瞬时蛋白质需要及时地降解,以保证变态发育和免疫反应的平衡。基质金属蛋白酶(matrix metalloproteases, MMPs)是一类能够降解基底膜和胞外基质中多数蛋白质的蛋白水解酶,也是一类参与昆虫变态发育和天然免疫调节的重要锌离子依赖型蛋白酶。MMPs可降解关键的胞外基质和肽类激素,参与变态发育过程中的组织重构及天然免疫反应强度的调节。本文重点综述了基质金属蛋白酶参与调控昆虫发育和免疫的功能,并对昆虫基质金属蛋白酶研究中存在的问题、潜在的研究方向进行了探讨。

Insects have formed developed metamorphosis and innate immunity system to adapt to the complex habitats during evolution.Some proteins produced in the process of metamorphosis and innate immunity in insects must be degraded in time,so that insects are capable of maintaining the homeostasis of development and immune responses.Matrix metalloproteases(MMPs)are Zn 2+-dependent proteases.MMPs can degrade most proteins in the basement membrane and extracellular matrix,and also are involved in the regulations of metamorphosis and innate immunity in insects.They participate in tissue remolding and limitation of excessive immune responses through degradation of key extracellular matrix and peptide hormones.In this article,the functions of MMPs involved in regulation of metamorphosis and innate immunity were summarized,and the directions for further investigations were also discussed.