Human neutrophil elastase releases cell surface mucins from primary cultures of hamster tracheal epithelial cells

Primary hamster tracheal epithelial cells growing on a collagen gel matrix produce high molecular weight mucins indistinguishable from mucins produced in vivo. Using a modified version of these confluent cultures, we have demonstrated here that (i) release of mucins can be stimulated by human neutrophil elastase (HNE; EC 3.4.21.37); (ii) HNE can degrade mucins, and both mucin release and degradation by HNE require an active catalytic site; and (iii) there are at least two pools of mucins in these cells: one is a rapidly turning-over spontaneously releasable constitutive pool, the other is a slowly turning-over HNE-releasable pool. We provide evidence that the HNE-releasable mucins are membrane bound and associated with the secretory cell apical surface.