Biological Importance
Cysteine proteases play multi-faceted roles, virtually in every aspect of physiology and development, in plants such as in the growth and development, in senescence and programmed cell death, in accumulation and mobilization of storage proteins such as in seeds. In addition, they are involved in signalling pathways and in the response to biotic and abiotic stresses. In humans they are responsible for apoptosis, MHC class II immune responses, prohormone processing, and extracellular matrix remodeling important to bone development. The ability of macrophages and other cells to mobilize elastolytic cysteine proteases to their surfaces under specialized conditions may also lead to accelerated collagen and elastin degradation at sites of inflammation in diseases such as atherosclerosis and emphysema.
In several traditional medicines the fruits or latex of papaya, pineapple and fig are widely used for treatment of intestinal worm infections both in humans and livestock animals.
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