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Encyclopedia of Inflammatory Diseases pp 1–7Cite as

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Cytolytic Granules

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Synonyms

Cytolytic granules; Cytolytic proteins; Granzymes; Lytic granules; Perforin

Definition

Cytolytic proteins, perforin, and granzymes are potent killing molecules responsible for target cell death mediated by cytolytic lymphocytes (CLs). They are stored within secretory lysosomes in the cytoplasm of CLs along with some proteases and granulysin. Perforin (PFN) is a pore-forming protein encoded by a single copy gene that is crucial for CL-mediated cell death (Chávez-Galán et al. 2009). PFN enables delivery of granzymes into the target cell in order to trigger caspase-dependent or caspase-independent apoptosis. Granzymes (Grs) are serine proteases stored in cytoplasmic granules of CLs. In humans, there are five different granzymes, granzymes A, B, H, K, and M, of which the best investigated, so far, is granzyme B.

Biosynthesis and Release

CLs, consisting of cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTLs) and natural killer (NK) cells, mediate apoptosis via the release of cytolytic proteins, perforin,...

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatovenerology, Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka, Medical Faculty, University of Rijeka, Kresimirova 42, HR-51000, Rijeka, Croatia

    Marija Kastelan

  2. Department of Dermatovenerology, School of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Kresimirova 42, HR-51000, Rijeka, Croatia

    Marija Kastelan

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  1. Marija Kastelan
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Correspondence to Marija Kastelan .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Inst of Clinical Pharmacology Haus 74/75, JW Goethe University Frankfurt Fraunhofer IME, Frankfurt, Germany

    Michael Parnham

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Kastelan, M. (2014). Cytolytic Granules. In: Parnham, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Inflammatory Diseases. Birkhäuser, Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-0620-6_104-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-0620-6_104-1

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-0348-0620-6

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