Effects of neutral proteases from human leukocytes on plasma fibronectin

Human plasma fibronectin (FN) is not susceptible to collagenase and gelatinase from human blood leukocytes. Leukocytic elastolytic protease (ELP) and cathepsin G (chymotrypsin-like protease, CLP) degrade FN to similar fragments. Among products of proteolysis by ELP and CLP fragments have been identified which bind to gelatin-fragment 40 kd, to fibrin-fragments 55 kd and 30 kd, and to heparin-fragment 30 kd.