Related Experiment Videos
[Endothelial cell proteases and their modulation by platelets]
S Menashi1, G Flores-Delgado, W Hornebeck
1Unité de Recherche Vaisseaux et Hémostase, INSERM U 150, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France.
Endothelial cells produce and secrete a large number of proteases which are implicated in various disease states. These proteases fall into two classes: serine proteases include plasminogen activators (t-PA) and urokinase (u-PA) and play a major role in fibrinolysis, tissue repair and carcinogenesis; and metalloproteases include collagenases and stromelysine, two enzymes involved in the tissue remodelling that occurs during angiogenesis and tumor growth. The authors have recently identified two other proteases in porcine aortic endothelial cell culture medium. One is an elastase-like enzyme of the metalloprotease group, whereas the other is a new protease whose molecular weight is 85 Kd and whose activity becomes apparent only after exposure of the endothelial cells to platelets. The term Platelet Endothelial Cell Activated Protease accurately describes this enzyme. PECAP degrades casein and fibrinogen. Because PECAP is not inhibited by the usual inhibitors of the various classes of proteases, it remains at present unclassified.
Endothelial cells produce and secrete a large number of proteases which are implicated in various disease states. These proteases fall into two classes: serine proteases include plasminogen activators (t-PA) and urokinase (u-PA) and play a major role in fibrinolysis, tissue repair and carcinogenesis; and metalloproteases include collagenases and stromelysine, two enzymes involved in the tissue remodelling that occurs during angiogenesis and tumor growth. The authors have recently identified two other proteases in porcine aortic endothelial cell culture medium. One is an elastase-like enzyme of the metalloprotease group, whereas the other is a new protease whose molecular weight is 85 Kd and whose activity becomes apparent only after exposure of the endothelial cells to platelets. The term Platelet Endothelial Cell Activated Protease accurately describes this enzyme. PECAP degrades casein and fibrinogen. Because PECAP is not inhibited by the usual inhibitors of the various classes of proteases, it remains at present unclassified.