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The innate immune response to invading organisms or inflammatory injury involves the activation of proteolytic enzyme cascades that in turn trigger the host defense signaling pathways. Although it has been known for over 40 years that proteinases such as thrombin, trypsin, and chymotrypsin can trigger hormone-like signal transduction pathways in target tissues, the mechanisms for signaling have only...
Proteases are not merely restricted to digestive purposes and remodeling of extracellular matrix and tissues, but are also key factors for the induction of physiological immune responses. This induction can be direct, through the degradation of pathogens within phagolysosomes, or indirect, through the activation of key pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), such as toll-like receptors (TLRs). Unfortunately,...
Skin barrier defects in common dermatological diseases, such as atopic dermatitis and psoriasis, are mostly attributed to anomalies in T-cell immunity. A new viewpoint of inflammatory dermatoses onset was recently suggested, in which barrier defects trigger secretion of pro-inflammatory mediators by stressed keratinocyte cells, which activate the T-cell immune system and further deteriorate the barrier...
In this review, we summarize the current data pertaining to proteases mainly from polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) and monocytes in the regulation of the inflammatory response. However, tryptase and chymase stored in mast cell granules, or granzymes from lymphocytes are other examples of proteases, which greatly influence several biological processes including extracellular matrix degradation, vasoconstriction,...
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a group of proteases known to regulate the turnover of extracellular matrix (ECM) and thus are suggested to be important in the process of several diseases associated with tissue remodeling and inflammation. Degradation of ECM is currently associated with structural and recruited cell activation and release of inflammatory mediators and MMPs. Indeed, a marked increase...
Proteases identified in the lung were initially thought to be involved in extracellular matrix destruction. Today, several lines of evidence suggest that proteases have a multitude of regulatory functions in local inflammation processes, innate immunity, and infections. In particular, enzymes belonging to serine and metalloproteases can modulate many biological functions by promoting chemokine and...
Protein turnover, orchestrated by a large array of proteases, protein complexes, and organelles consumes one-fifth of the human energy. In many diseases this homeostasis is lost resulting in loss of tissue function. One such group of diseases are the fibrotic disorders in which there is progressive fibroproliferation and extracellular matrix deposition. The causes of these diseases are sometimes identified,...
Protein turnover is orchestrated by a large array of proteases, and the gastrointestinal tract is the organ the most exposed to proteases, whether they originate from the pancreas for digestive purpose, from resident cells, from infiltrated inflammatory cells, or from microorganisms present in the intestinal lumen. To maintain tissue homeostasis, the gastrointestinal tract has developed mechanisms...
The novel family of proteinase-activated receptors (PARs) is activated through proteolytic cleavage by serine proteinases. This family of G protein-coupled receptors and their activating enzymes are found widely throughout the body. It has been known for some time that during arthritic conditions, high levels of serine proteinases are released from joint tissue and contribute to joint degradation...
It is now widely accepted that inflammation and coagulation are two intimately linked processes. Pre-clinical evidence on this cross-talk have accumulated since 1961 when it was demonstrated that coagulation factors could cause an inflammatory response in in vivo pre-clinical studies. The discovery of thrombin receptors has been instrumental in clarifying several molecular aspects at the basis of...
Inflammation mediators are known to signal neurons and provoke pain. In this context, proteases can signal sensory neurons at the site of inflammation and modulate pain transmission. In this chapter, we will perform an overview of the multiple mechanisms whereby proteases can signal nerve endings. Proteases can directly activate proteases activated receptor at the membrane of the nerve endings to...
As virulence factors, microbial proteases often exert dual activities, enhancing the inflammatory response and affecting leukocyte functions. By activating the kallikrein-kinin system, they induce the release of kinins, which cause vascular leakage, and by inducing C5a production from the fifth complement component, they trigger the release of histamine. Leukocytes also accumulate in response to the...
Signals generated by proteolytic activation of Protease-activated receptors (PARs) must be terminated to avoid uncontrolled cellular events, such as proliferation, cell migration, and inflammation. Because PARs are irreversibly activated, this is of paramount importance because, unlike most other GPCRs, the ligand cannot dissociate or diffuse away. Signal termination within the cell consists of a...
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