alpha-chymotrypsin and Emphysema

Topics: Amyloidosis; Animals; Arteriosclerosis; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Blood Coagulation Disorders; Blood Coagulation Factors; Chymotrypsin; Chymotrypsinogen; Diabetes Mellitus; Emphysema; Fibrinolysis; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Humans; Kallikreins; Kidney Diseases; Muscular Dystrophies; Oligopeptides; Peptide Hydrolases; Substrate Specificity; Swine

Aim of the present study was to evaluate cathepsin D, base protease, antiplasmin, antitrypsin and antichymotrypsin activities and protein content in the 24h culture medium of the alveolar macrophages (AM) deriving from the rats treated BCG-vaccine and from rats with papain-induced emphysema. In the culture medium of cells isolated from the rats which were given BCG or papain and BCG+papain we observed an increase of base protease activity and a decrease of cathepsin D activity comparing with control group. Increased antitrypsin activity in BCG and BCG+papain-treated rats and decreased antitrypsin activity in papain-treated rats were observed. There were not significant differences in antiplasmin and antichymotrypsin activities between examined groups. The obtained results indicate that activated pulmonary macrophages are one of the sources of the protease-antiprotease intraalveolar imbalance. However, increased production of proteolytic enzymes may not be the only factor responsible for the progression of lung emphysema in BCG-treated rats.

Topics: Animals; BCG Vaccine; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; Cathepsin D; Cells, Cultured; Chymotrypsin; Emphysema; Endopeptidases; Macrophages, Alveolar; Male; Papain; Protease Inhibitors; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Trypsin

Topics: Animals; Cathepsin G; Cathepsins; Cattle; Chymotrypsin; Elastin; Emphysema; Endopeptidases; Humans; Kinetics; Leukocytes; Lung; Pancreatic Elastase; Serine Endopeptidases; Substrate Specificity

The relationship between the development of pulmonary emphysema and the presence of proteolytic enzymes with elastolytic properties released by polymorphonuclear leukocytes or by alveolar macrophages is briefly reviewed. The possible role of various antiproteolytic substances present in the lung is also described. The pathogenesis of pulmonary emphysema is discussed in the light of hypotheses recently put forward implicating an excess of proteolytic factors and/or a relative or absolute lack of protection substances.

Topics: Chymotrypsin; Emphysema; Humans; Leukocytes; Macrophages; Pancreatic Elastase; Peptide Hydrolases

A procedure is described for the purification of the elastase and chymotrypsin-like enzymes from purulent sputum. This procedure permitted the isolation of 132 mg and 120 mg of the elastase and chymotrypsin-like enzymes, respectively, from 230 g of purulent sputum. The elastase enzymes consist of a family of five isozymes, and at least three isozymes comprise the chymotrypsin-like enzyme system. The elastases proved to be immunologically identical with the corresponding enzyme of human leukocytes. These enzymes were characterized with respect to molecular weight, amino acid and carbohydrate composition, several kinetic parameters, and inhibition by various synthetic and natural inhibitors. The properties so found were comparable to those which had been previously reported by others for the elastase and chymotrypsin-like enzymes isolated directly from leukocytic granules.

Topics: Amino Acids; Chymotrypsin; Emphysema; Hexosamines; Hexoses; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Immunodiffusion; Isoenzymes; Kinetics; Pancreatic Elastase; Peptide Hydrolases; Sialic Acids; Sputum; Structure-Activity Relationship

Topics: Aerosols; Air Pollution; Aminophylline; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Body Weight; Bronchitis; Bronchitis, Chronic; Bronchodilator Agents; Central Nervous System Stimulants; Chymotrypsin; Cysteine; Emphysema; Heart Failure; Isoproterenol; Muscle Relaxants, Central; Oxygen Inhalation Therapy; Parasympatholytics; Pulmonary Emphysema; Respiratory Insufficiency; Smoking; Sputum; Sulfonamides; Sympathomimetics; Therapeutics

Topics: Asthma; Bronchitis; Chymotrypsin; Drug Therapy; Emphysema; Heart Failure; Humans; Peptide Hydrolases; Pulmonary Emphysema; Pulmonary Fibrosis; Sputum; Trypsin; Tuberculosis; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary; Viscosity