생화학분자생물학회

	Min Jae Lee( minjlee@snu.ac.kr )
	2015-present	Assistant/Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Republic of Korea
	2011-2015	Assistant Professor, Department of Applied Chemistry, Kyung Hee University, Republic of Korea
	2007-2011	Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, USA
	2002-2007	PhD, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, USA
	2000-2002	MS, Department of Chemistry (Major: Biochemistry), Seoul National University, Republic of Korea
	1993-2000	BS, Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Republic of Korea (1995-1997: served in the ROK Army)

Concept and application of circulating proteasomes

Proteostasis is primarily a function of protein synthesis and degradation. Although the components and processes involved in intracellular proteostasis have been studied extensively, it is apparent that extracellular proteostasis is equitably crucial for the viability of organisms. The 26S proteasome, a unique ATP-dependent proteolytic complex in eukaryotic cells, contributes to the majority of intracellular proteolysis. Accumulating evidence suggests the presence of intact 20S proteasomes in the circulatory system (c-proteasomes), and similar to other plasma proteins, the levels of these c-proteasomes may vary, potentially reflecting specific pathophysiological conditions. Under normal conditions, the concentration of c-proteasomes has been reported to be in the range of ~0.2–2 g/mL, which is approximately 2–4-fold lower than that of functional plasma proteins but markedly higher than that of signaling proteins. The characterization of c-proteasomes, such as their origin, structure, role, and clearance, has been delayed mainly due to technical limitations. In this review, we summarize the current perspectives pertaining to c-proteasomes, focusing on the methodology, including our experimental understanding. We believe that once the pathological relevance of c-proteasomes is revealed, these unique components may be utilized in the diagnosis and prognosis of diverse human diseases.

Exp Mol Med. 2021 Oct;53(10):1539-1546. doi: 10.1038/s12276-021-00692-x. Epub 2021 Oct 27. PMID: 34707192.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34707192/