The role of elastases in the development of emphysema
- 1 December 1978
- journal article
- Published by Springer Nature in Lung
- Vol. 155 (1), 185-197
- https://doi.org/10.1007/bf02730693
Abstract
Enzymes which degrade elastin can disorganize the network of elastic fibers in the lungs of experimental animals and produce emphysema. Two sources of endogenous elastases in the lung are neutrophils and alveolar macrophages. The neutrophil elastase is an intracellular, granule-associated enzyme which is inhibited by α1-antitrypsin and has the capacity to produce emphysema in experimental animals. The recently identified macrophage elastase appears to be a secretory enzyme, not associated with granules and less effectively inhibited by α1-antitrypsin. The demonstration that macrophages from cigarette smokers release elastase in culture, and that cigarette smoke interferes with the action of inhibitors of elastase, suggests that elastases may be involved in the pathogenesis of emphysema in man. Further research is needed to establish whether degradation of elastin occurs in humans developing emphysema.Keywords
This publication has 43 references indexed in Scilit:
- Elastase Release from Human Alveolar Macrophages: Comparison Between Smokers and NonsmokersScience, 1977
- Limited degradation of the third component (C3) of human complement by human leukocyte elastase (HLE): partial characterization of C3 fragmentsBiochemistry, 1977
- Concanavalin-A agglutination of human pulmonary alveolar macrophages from nonsmokers and cigarette smokers: A comparisonLife Sciences, 1976
- The pathology of elastase‐induced panacinar emphysema in hamstersThe Journal of Pathology, 1975
- Elastase secretion by stimulated macrophages. Characterization and regulation.The Journal of Experimental Medicine, 1975
- Pinocytosis by Human Alveolar Macrophages COMPARISON OF SMOKERS AND NONSMOKERSJCI Insight, 1974
- Neutral Leucocyte Proteases and Elastase Inhibited by Plasma Alpha1-AntitrypsinScandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation, 1971
- The Electrophoretic α;1-Globulin Pattern of Serum in α;1-Antitrypsin DeficiencyScandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation, 1963
- STUDIES ON THE COLLAGEN AND ELASTIN CONTENT OF THE HUMAN LUNG*†JCI Insight, 1960
- THE ELASTIC PROPERTIES OF THE EMPHYSEMATOUS LUNG AND THEIR CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE 1JCI Insight, 1934