Cloning and characterization of a cathepsin L-like cysteine protease from Taenia pisiformis

Rabbit cysticercosis, caused by the larval stage of Taenia pisiformis, is a serious parasitic disease of rabbits. It was reported that some cysteine peptidases have potential roles in the pathogenesis of various parasitic infections. To investigate the biochemical characteristics and roles in the pathogenesis/host-invasion of cysteine peptidases, a cDNA sequence encoding for a cathepsin L-like cysteine protease (TpCP) was cloned and identified from the T. pisiformis metacestodes. This sequence was 1220 bp in its length, which included a 1017 bp open reading frame encoding a 339 amino acid peptide. Multiple sequence alignments revealed a 28.9–88.5% similarity with cathepsin L-like cysteine proteases from other helminth parasites and mammals. The recombinant TpCP expressed in Escherichia coli did not show the proteolytic activity by zymography gel assay. However, the TpCP expressed in Pichia pastoris had typical biochemical activities that could hydrolyze rabbit immunoglobulin G, bovine serum albumin and fibronectin. Substrate studies indicated pronounced cleavage of Z-Phe-Arg-AMC. This activity was sensitive to cysteine protease inhibitor E-64 and immunohistochemistry results also indicated that TpCP was distributed as an intense positive reaction in the bladder wall. Our results gave us insights into future studies of TpCP's roles in the infection.