Abstract: Reagents that regulate human aminopeptidase N and reagents which bind to human aminopeptidase N gene products can play a role in preventing, ameliorating, or correcting dysfunctions or diseases including, but not limited to, cancer, a CNS disorder or COPD.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an alkaline protease having a prepro sequence, wherein the prepro sequence is a mutant sequence of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or an amino acid sequence having 80% or higher homology to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, in which amino acid residues at (a) position 52, (b) position 75, and (c) position 142 of SEQ ID NO: 1, or amino acid residues at positions corresponding to these positions are substituted by the following amino acid residues: at position (a): aspartic acid or arginine, at position (b): alanine or arginine, and at position (c): lysine; and the alkaline protease, when in a mature form, has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 or an amino acid sequence having a homology of 80% or higher to this amino acid sequence. The present invention also relates to, for example, a gene encoding the alkaline protease. According to the present invention, an alkaline protease increased in production can be produced.

Abstract: Human aggrecanase and polypeptides related thereto, as well as nucleic acid compositions encoding the same, are provided. The subject polypeptides and nucleic acid compositions find use in a variety of applications, including research, diagnostic, and therapeutic agent screening applications. Also provided are methods of inhibiting aggrecanase activity in a host and methods of treating disease conditions associated with aggrecanase activity, e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, osteo-arthritis, infectious arthritis, gouty arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, spondolysis, sports injury, joint trauma, pulmonary disease, fibrosis, and the like.