WITH increasing frequency, the human neutrophil is being implicated as a mediator of tissue-destructive events in inflammatory diseases ranging from rheumatoid arthritis and myocardial reperfusion injury to respiratory distress syndromes, blistering skin disorders, and ulcerative colitis.1 , 2 In each of these diseases, as well as a variety of other acute inflammatory disorders, important components of these pathologic processes are being linked to the neutrophil's ability to release a complex assortment of agents that can destroy normal cells and dissolve connective tissues. Although these toxins normally defend the host against invading microbes, the neutrophil has little intrinsic ability to differentiate between foreign . . .

Tissue Destruction by Neutrophils

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of nine or more highly homologous Zn(++)-endopeptidases that collectively cleave most if not all of the constituents of the extracellular matrix. The present review discusses in detail the primary structures and the overlapping yet distinct substrate specificities of MMPs as well as the mode of activation of the unique MMP precursors. The regulation of MMP activity at the transcriptional level and at the extracellular level (precursor activation, inhibition of activated, mature enzymes) is also discussed. A final segment of the review details the current knowledge of the involvement of MMP in specific developmental or pathological conditions, including human periodontal diseases.

Matrix Metalloproteinases: A Review

Proteases represent the class of enzymes which occupy a pivotal position with respect to their physiological roles as well as their commercial applications. They perform both degradative and synthetic functions. Since they are physiologically necessary for living organisms, proteases occur ubiquitously in a wide diversity of sources such as plants, animals, and microorganisms. Microbes are an attractive source of proteases owing to the limited space required for their cultivation and their ready susceptibility to genetic manipulation. Proteases are divided into exo- and endopeptidases based on their action at or away from the termini, respectively. They are also classified as serine proteases, aspartic proteases, cysteine proteases, and metalloproteases depending on the nature of the functional group at the active site. Proteases play a critical role in many physiological and pathophysiological processes. Based on their classification, four different types of catalytic mechanisms are operative. Proteases find extensive applications in the food and dairy industries. Alkaline proteases hold a great potential for application in the detergent and leather industries due to the increasing trend to develop environmentally friendly technologies. There is a renaissance of interest in using proteolytic enzymes as targets for developing therapeutic agents. Protease genes from several bacteria, fungi, and viruses have been cloned and sequenced with the prime aims of (i) overproduction of the enzyme by gene amplification, (ii) delineation of the role of the enzyme in pathogenecity, and (iii) alteration in enzyme properties to suit its commercial application. Protein engineering techniques have been exploited to obtain proteases which show unique specificity and/or enhanced stability at high temperature or pH or in the presence of detergents and to understand the structure-function relationships of the enzyme. Protein sequences of acidic, alkaline, and neutral proteases from diverse origins have been analyzed with the aim of studying their evolutionary relationships. Despite the extensive research on several aspects of proteases, there is a paucity of knowledge about the roles that govern the diverse specificity of these enzymes. Deciphering these secrets would enable us to exploit proteases for their applications in biotechnology.

Molecular and Biotechnological Aspects of Microbial Proteases

Rheumatoid arthritis. Pathophysiology and implications for therapy.

Granules of the Human Neutrophilic Polymorphonuclear Leukocyte

Biochemical and immunological characterization of the secreted forms of human neutrophil gelatinase.

The collagen substrate specificity of human neutrophil collagenase

Human pulmonary alveolar macrophages obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage from both normal controls and smokers secreted in vitro a neutral proteinase that degraded denatured collagens. Optimal expression of the proteinase was detected after 3-5 d of culture. The proteinase could not be detected in the media of cultures that had been treated with 0.5 micrograms/ml of cycloheximide. The gelatinase had an Mr of 90,000 and was immunologically cross-reactive with human neutrophil gelatinase. When newly synthesized 35S-methionine-labeled proteins were analyzed, the proteinase appeared to be a major secretion product of alveolar macrophages. Chromatography on gelatin-Sepharose gave a single peak of activity that was predominantly composed of the 90,000-mol-wt proteinase. The proteolytic activity in the gelatin-Sepharose-purified material was inhibited by EDTA and 1,10-phenanthroline, but not by N-ethylmaleimide or phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride, indicating that the proteinase was a metalloproteinase. The partially purified material was also capable of degrading native type V collagen and this degradation was inhibited in the presence of an antibody to neutrophil gelatinase. The data suggest that human alveolar macrophages in culture elaborate a metalloproteinase that degrades both native type V collagen and denatured collagens.

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Expression of a metalloproteinase that degrades native type V collagen and denatured collagens by cultured human alveolar macrophages.

https://www.jbc.org/content/261/12/5645.full.pdf

Secreted forms of human neutrophil collagenase.

A proteinase capable of degrading the helical region of native human type V collagen was identified in serum-free culture medium from “in vivo-activated” rabbit alveolar macrophages. This enzyme was purified to homogeneity using a combination of gelfiltration, ion-exchange and affinity chromatography. Analysis of the purified material by gel electrophoresis revealed a single broad band with relative molecular mass of 82,000 daltons Enzyme activity was eluted from the gel in a region corresponding to the stained band. The protein band was also found to stain positively using the periodic acid-Schiff technique indicating that it was glycosylated. Amino acid analysis revealed a composition rich in acidic residues. The enzyme cleaved type V collagen into three large molecular weight doublets consistent with two cleavage sites within the helix but was inactive against native type I collagen. However, when type I or type V collagen was heat-denatured, the enzyme degraded the alpha chains to small molecular weight peptides.

Margaret S. Hibbs

Papers

Biochemical and immunological characterization of the secreted forms of human neutrophil gelatinase.

The collagen substrate specificity of human neutrophil collagenase

Expression of a metalloproteinase that degrades native type V collagen and denatured collagens by cultured human alveolar macrophages.

Secreted forms of human neutrophil collagenase.

Purification of a type V collagen degrading metalloproteinase from rabbit alveolar macrophages.