Proteases and antiproteases in chronic neutrophilic lung disease - relevance to drug discovery.
Greene, Catherine M McElvaney, Noel G
Greene, Catherine M
McElvaney, Noel G
Advisors
Editors
Other Contributors
Date
2009-10
Date Submitted
Keywords
Other Subjects
Subject Mesh
Animals
Chronic Disease
Drug Discovery
Humans
Lung Diseases
Peptide Hydrolases
Protease Inhibitors
Chronic Disease
Drug Discovery
Humans
Lung Diseases
Peptide Hydrolases
Protease Inhibitors
Planned Date
Start Date
Collaborators
Principal Investigators
Alternative Titles
Publisher
Abstract
Chronic inflammatory lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis and emphysema are characterized by higher-than-normal levels of pulmonary proteases. While these enzymes play important roles such as bacterial killing, their dysregulated expression or activity can adversely impact on the inflammatory process. The existence of efficient endogenous control mechanisms that can dampen or halt this overexuberant protease activity in vivo is essential for the effective resolution of inflammatory lung disease. The function of pulmonary antiproteases is to fulfil this role. Interestingly, in addition to their antiprotease activity, protease inhibitors in the lung also often possess other intrinsic properties that contribute to microbial killing or termination of the inflammatory process. This review will outline important features of chronic inflammation that are regulated by pulmonary proteases and will describe the various mechanisms by which antiproteases attempt to counterbalance exaggerated protease-mediated inflammatory events. These proteases, antiproteases and their modifiers represent interesting targets for therapeutic intervention.
Language
en
ISSN
1476-5381
eISSN
ISBN
DOI
10.1111/j.1476-5381.2009.00448.x
PMID
19845686