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Assistant Professor Emer S Ferro
Cellular Communication Laboratory
University of Sao Paulo
Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes 1524, Room 435, S?o Paulo, SP, 05508-900, Brazil
Email: eferro@usp.br
Tel: (011) 3091-7310
Fax: (011) 3091-7250
Homepage: http://www.proteimaxnet.com.br

Research
Our laboratory is mainly focussed on the cell biology and function of two peptidases namely thimet-oligopeptidase (EC 3.4.24.15; ep24.15) and neurolysin (EC 3.4.24.16; ep24.16). We have a particular interest in the secretory mechanisms responsible for mediating the extracellular location of both ep24.15 and ep24.16. It is an important goal as both peptidases have been associated with neuropeptide metabolism in neuroendocrine tissues, and interestingly the both peptidases fails to contain a hydrophobic tail or signal peptide sequence for regular entry in the secretory pathway.
Another important issue regarding these two peptidases is their role on intracellular peptide metabolism, which has been shown to affect antigen presentation. Therefore, we have recently focussed our research developing a novel strategy that allows the identification of several new intracellular peptides with putative bioactivity. The first bioactive peptide identified using this new methodology we have named hemopresin, as it potently decrease blood pressure in rats. Further characterization of these new putative bioactive peptides by molecular pharmacology is a very exciting new area where we also have a major interest.
Collaborations
Professor Ian A. Smith (Baker Heart Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia)
Professor Rebecca Lew (Baker Heart Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia)
Professor Stephen Hyslop (UNICAMP, Campinas, Brazil)
Professor Marcos N. Eberlin (UNICAMP, Campinas, Brazil)
Professor Jos? Eduardo Krieger (InCor, S?o Paulo, Brazil)
Professor Luiz Juliano (Paulista Medical School, S?o Paulo, Brazil)
Professor Claudio A. B. Toledo (UNICID, S?o Paulo, Brazil)
Professor Vitor Oliveira (UNICID, S?o Paulo, Brazil)
Professor Antonio C.M. Camargo (Butantan Institute, S?o Paulo, Brazil)
Vanessa Rioli, PhD (Proteimax Inc, S?o Paulo, Brazil)
Andrea S. Heimann, PhD (Proteimax Inc, S?o Paulo, Brazil)
Publications
Vitor Oliveira, Maur?cio C. Araujo, Vanessa Rioli, Antonio C. M. de Camargo, Ivarne L. S. Tersariol, Maria A. Juliano, Luiz Juliano and Emer S. Ferro. A structure-based site direct mutagenesis study on the endopeptidase 24.16 (EC 3.4.24.16) and endopeptidase 24.15 (EC 3.4.24.15) catalysis, FEBS Lett. 24;541(1-3):89-92, 2003

Vanessa Rioli, Fabio C. Gozzo, Andrea S. Heimann, Alessandra Linardi, Jos? E. Krieger, Cl?udio S. Shida, Paulo C. Almeida, Stephen Hyslop, Marcos N. Eberlin, and Emer S. Ferro. Novel natural peptide substrates for endopeptidase 24.15, neurolysin and angiotensin-converting enzyme. J. Biol. Chem. 7;278(10):8547-55, 2003

Jos? Domingues Fontenele-Neto, Eduardo Ernst Massarelli, Paula Amaral Gurgel Garrido, Alan Beaudet and Emer Suavinho Ferro. Comparative fine structural distribution of endopeptidase 24.15 (EC3.4.24.15) and 24.16 (EC3.4.24.16) in rat brain. J. Comparative Neurology, 438, 399-410, 2001

Silva, C.L., Portaro, F.C., Bonato, V.L., de Camargo, A.C.M., Ferro, E.S. Thimet oligopeptidase (EC 3.4.24.15), a novel protein on the route of MHC class I antigen presentation. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 255(3):591-5, 1999

Vanessa Rioli, Akira Kato, Fernanda C.V. Portaro, Gabriela K. Cury, Kai te Kaat, Bruno Vincent, Frederic Checler, Antonio C.M. Camargo, Marc J. Glucksman, James L. Roberts, Shigehisa Hirose, and Emer S. Ferro. Neuropeptide specificity and inhibition of recombinant isoforms of the endopeptidase 3.4.24.16 family: comparison with the related recombinant endopeptidase 3.4.24.15. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 8-250(1):5-11, 1998





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