Cathepsin D does not appear to play a main role in the post-mortem degradation of myofibrils, as it does not alter ATPase activity.
Cathepsin D leaves myofibrillar ATPase unchanged in this animal model; leaves open its role in cardiac protein turnover.
The effect of cathepsin D and pepsin treatment on rabbit myofibril was studied by measuring the amount of proteolytic products and Mg-enhanced ATPase activity. When myofibril was treated with cathepsin D at 3°C and pH 5.0 or 5.5, a little but detectable amount of nonprotein nitrogenous compounds was released. However, there was no change in ATPase activity of myofibril, though treated with cathepsin D of higher units than assumed to be in muscle. When myofibril was treated with pepsin under the same condition as used above, there was an increase in KCl-concentration dependence of ATPase activity followed by a decrease in the maximal value of ATPase activity. From the present results, it was concluded that cathepsin D might not take a main role on the post-mortem degradation of myofibril.
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OKITANI et al. (1972) studied this question.
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