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Research article2003Peer reviewedOpen access

The chymase, mouse mast cell protease 4, constitutes the major chymotrypsin-like activity in peritoneum and ear tissue. A role for mouse mast cell protease 4 in thrombin regulation and fibronectin turnover

Tchougounova E, Pejler G, Abrink M

Abstract

To gain insight into the biological role of mast cell chymase we have generated a mouse strain with a targeted deletion in the gene for mast cell protease 4 (mMCP-4), the mouse chymase that has the closest relationship to the human chymase in terms of tissue localization and functional properties. The inactivation of mMCP-4 did not affect the storage of other mast cell proteases and did not affect the number of mast cells or the mast cell morphology. However, mMCP-4 inactivation resulted in complete loss of chymotryptic activity in the peritoneum and in ear tissue, indicating that mMCP-4 is the main source of stored chymotrypsin-like protease activity at these sites. The mMCP-4 null cells showed markedly impaired ability to perform inactivating cleavages of thrombin, indicating a role for mMCP-4 in regulating the extravascular coagulation system. Further, a role for mMCP-4 in connective tissue remodeling was suggested by the inability of mMCP-4 null peritonealcells to process endogenous fibronectin

Published in

Journal of Experimental Medicine
2003, Volume: 198, number: 3, pages: 423-431
Publisher: ROCKEFELLER UNIV PRESS

      SLU Authors

    • Pejler, Gunnar

      • Department of Molecular Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

      • Åbrink, Magnus

        • Department of Molecular Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

      Publication identifier

      DOI: https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20030671

      Permanent link to this page (URI)

      https://res.slu.se/id/publ/1090