In Vitro Catabolism of Heterologous and Homologous Serum Albumin by Lysosomal Enzymes 1

Abstract

Summary

The products of hydrolysis and reaction rates for the degradation of homologous and heterologous serum albumin by lysosomal enzymes from spleen and liver were compared. The products of the degradation of homologous and heterologous serum albumin are similar with the exception of the small peptides with a mol wt less than 1000. A greater quantity of these small peptides were found in the degradation of heterologous serum albumin. Liver lysosomal enzymes hydrolyze heterologous serum albumin more rapidly and to a greater extent than homologous serum albumin.

The ability of an animal to distinguish between native and foreign proteins may be dependent upon the proteolytic enzymes which catabolize such proteins. The greater degradation of foreign protein by liver suggests that mechanism for differentiation of homologous and heterologous protein may reside with lysosomal enzymes.