Concise report on study of proteinase inhibitors and their utilization in practice (from 1986-July 2007)
Proteinase inhibitors (PIs) are wide]y distributed in plants, microorganisms and
mammalian species; they are known to play pivotal roles in regulating proteinase activities in these
species. Accordingly, PIs are important molecular tools for many research disciplines. Studies of
the coưelation of PI structures and íunctions have lead to understanding of their inhibitory actions
against physiological important proteases. There are potential therapeutic applications for such
studies for diseases rclating to excessive activities of proteases. Our studies on PIs in Viet nam
have been begun sincc 1986, focusing on the following topics:
Quantitative analysis o f proteinase inhibitory activity (PIA) in wild type and cultivated plants;
tracing of PIs in the process of seed development and the disưibution of PIs in different parts of
seed; establishment of the procedure for isolation of the selecteđ PIs; the procedure for using PIs
preparations in medical and agricultural practice; characterization of the isolated PIs, study of
their structure; investigation of theừ potential therapeutic and agricultural applications; clinical
trial studies for the selected PIs preparations.
This paper is a brief summary of our 56 works published in the national and intemational
joumals as well as at the symposia and conferences