Cathespin B

Cathepsin B is in humans encoded by the CTSB gene.Cathepsin B belongs to a family of lysosomal cysteine proteases and plays an important role in intracellular proteolysis. Upregulation of cathepsin B is found in premalignant lesions and various pathological conditions, as well as cancers. Cathepsin B may enhance the activity of other protease, including matrix metalloproteinase, urokinase (serine protease urokinase plasminogen activator), and cathepsin D, and thus it has an essential position for in the proteolysis of extracellular matrix components, intercellular communication disruption, and reduced protease inhibitor expression. It is also involved in autophagy and cannibalism, which is advantageous in tumor malignancy and is possibly involved in specific immune resistance.

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