Cathepsin B (CatB), a cysteine protease derived from lysosomes, was initially thought to non-selectively degrade proteins from phagocytosis and autophagy in lysosomes. However, CatB has been demonstrated to selectively degrade and specifically activate target proteins, thereby regulating the process of physiological and pathological responses. The expression, enzymatic activity, and cellular localization of CatB are significantly altered in brain aging and age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, the pathological function of CatB has attracted much attention in neuroscience research. In this review, we systematically summarize the molecular functions of CatB in brain aging and Alzheimer's disease and discuss the current problems in neuropathological studies of CatB, which lay a foundation for a comprehensive understanding of the pathogenesis of aging and Alzheimer's disease.
组织蛋白酶B (cathepsin B，CatB)是一种定位于溶酶体的半胱氨酸蛋白酶，最初被认为在溶酶体内发挥非选择性地降解吞噬或者自噬蛋白的功能。然而最新研究发现，CatB也可以选择性地降解或特异性地活化目标蛋白，从而参与调控生理病理反应。在衰老及相关的神经退行性疾病的大脑中，CatB的表达、酶活性及细胞定位都发生了显著变化，因此CatB在衰老和神经退行性疾病中的病理学功能备受关注。本文对CatB参与脑衰老及阿尔兹海默症进程的相关研究进行了系统梳理，并讨论了目前有关CatB的神经病理学研究中存在的问题，以期为全面认识脑衰老及阿尔兹海默症的病理机制奠定基础。.
Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; aging; cathepsin B; microglia; neuron.