Ultrastructural changes of the skin induced by human leukocyte elastase and cathepsin G

Human neutrophil elastase and cathepsin G at a concentration of 10(-6) M were found to attack various substrates when normal skin biopsy specimens were incubated at 37 degrees C for 1 h with either of these enzymes. Elastase damaged primarily hemidesmosomes, leading to the epidermal cleavage from the dermis, whereas cathepsin G damaged the membrane structures. Both these neutral proteinases were highly specific to basal lamina of blood vessels. This indicates that neutrophil elastase and neutrophil cathepsin G may play different roles in various skin diseases related to enhanced activity and infiltration of neutrophils.