Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.21.37 (neutrophil elastase)
 4,078 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Normal human bronchial secretion contains protease inhibitors from plasma and an acid-stable, low molecular weight inhibitor which strongly inactivates granulocyte elastase and chymotrypsin-like cationic proteins. The distribution of this bronchial protease inhibitor in tracheal mucosa was analyzed by an indirect immunoperoxidase method. Strong peroxidase staining was obtained in the columnar ciliated epithelium of the trachea and in the sero-mucus glands. The findings support a local mucosal production of the inhibitor. Maxillary sinus mucosa was also positively stained for the inhibitor.
 ...
PMID:Localization of a low molecular weight protease inhibitor to tracheal and mixillary sinus mucosa. 32 83

Nicks, or missing peptide linkages, have been found in hCG beta-subunit between residues 44 and 45 and between residues 47 and 48. We examined the occurrence and biological and immunological activities of nicked hCG. As shown by sequence analysis, CR127 standard hCG is approximately 20% nicked, half at beta 44-45 and half at beta 47-48. Treatment with human leukocyte elastase increased the extent of nicking of CR127 standard hCG. The longer the incubation of CR127 standard with human leukocyte elastase (0, 2, and 21 h), the greater the extent of nicked hCG (20%, 46%, and 89%). As the extent of nicking increased, the receptor-binding ability diminished, as did the ability to stimulate progesterone production by rat corpus luteal cells in vitro (0.9, 0.74, and 0.29 microgram/microgram hCG, respectively). In a regression analysis, a linear relationship was indicated between the extent of nicking and receptor binding values (97% correlation) and between the extent of nicking and steroidogenic activity in vitro (99% correlation). From the intercepts of the regression lines, it was estimated that nicks reduced receptor binding by 11-fold and reduced the steroidogenic activity of hCG by 5-fold. We examined eight individual hCG preparations, three purified from pregnancy urine, three from urine from patients with hydatidiform mole, and two from urine from women with choriocarcinoma. In descending order, the eight individual hCG preparations were 100%, 100%, 85%, 76%, 42%, 41%, 0%, and 0% intact. Although no correlation was observed between the percent intact and the ability of the eight individual samples to displace 50% [125I]hCG in binding CG/LH receptor (r less than 0.5), a close correlation was noted between the percent intact and the steroidogenic activity in vitro (98% correlation). This separated the effects of nicking on receptor binding and steroidogenic activities and indicated that while multiple factors influence receptor binding, only nicking suppresses the steroidogenic activity of bound hCG. We examined the recognition of nicked hCG molecules by different hCG immunoassays. The Hybritech Tandem assay measured total hCG and did not distinguish nicked and intact hCG molecules (in a regression analysis, immunoactivity vs. percent intact hCG, r less than 0.5). In contrast, the immunometric assay using B109 hCG dimer-specific monoclonal antibody and anti-beta-peroxidase only detected the intact component of hCG (in a regression analysis, immunoreactivity vs. percent intact hCG, 98% correlation). We used these assays together to estimate the percentage of intact hCG and to deduce the extent of nicking.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
 ...
PMID:The heterogeneity of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). III. The occurrence and biological and immunological activities of nicked hCG. 171 36

This paper describes a fully mechanized homogeneous immunoassay using the immunoactivation method for the rapid and specific determination of human granulocyte elastase (EC 3.4.21.37) in plasma. The method uses anti-elastase antibody fragments from sheep, conjugated to horseradish peroxidase. These enzyme-antibody conjugates bind to the elastase-alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor complex present in plasma. A separate sample blank with non-specific sheep antibody fragments conjugated to horseradish peroxidase corrects for errors introduced by the sample matrix. Measurements were performed with the clinical chemistry analyser Hitachi 717. A single determination can be performed in 10 min, requiring 24 microliters sample volume. The measuring range is about 20 to 1000 micrograms/l elastase. For within-run precision the coefficients of variation are 4.77%, 4.48% and 1.85% for elastase concentrations of 45.7, 89.1 and 385.4 micrograms/l; for day-to-day precision the coefficients of variation are 15.81%, 7.19% and 4.12% for elastase concentrations of 31.1, 65.5 and 440.2 micrograms/l, respectively. Correlation (y = bx + a) of results with those from the heterogeneous immunoassay showed a good agreement (r = 0.93, b = 1.11, a = -27.0, N = 121). Interferences by endogeneous substances and by drugs at therapeutic doses were not observed. The reference interval, determined by using plasma from 215 healthy individuals (C-reactive protein less than 5 mg/l, leukocyte count 4-8 x 10(9)/l), was 9-56 micrograms/l (2.5th to 97.5th percentile), with a median of 27 micrograms/l.
 ...
PMID:Determination of human granulocyte elastase by the immunoactivation method on the Hitachi 717 automated analyser. 207 14

We used antibodies to human leukocyte ("neutrophil") elastase and cathepsin G to localize the corresponding antigens in human neutrophils, monocytes, and alveolar macrophages by immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, we combined immunogold localization with enzyme histochemistry to localize proteinase antigens and endogenous peroxidase activity in the same sections. As expected, all neutrophils contained both elastase and cathepsin G, and the proteinases localized to granules with peroxidase activity. In contrast, marked heterogeneity in monocyte staining for elastase, cathepsin G, and endogenous peroxidase was found. Sixty percent or more were unstained, while the remainder varied greatly in staining intensity. The elastase and cathepsin G in monocytes were localized by immunoelectron microscopy, combined with histochemistry, to cytoplasmic granules which had peroxidase activity. Alveolar macrophages were unstained. Therefore, a subpopulation of peripheral blood monocytes contains leukocyte elastase and cathepsin G in a cell compartment from which these enzymes may potentially be released into the extracellular space. The occurrence of peroxidase and neutral proteinases in the same granules in monocytes could permit the H2O2-myeloperoxidase-halide system and the neutral proteinases to act in concert in such functions as microbe killing and extracellular proteolysis.
 ...
PMID:Elastase and cathepsin G of human monocytes: heterogeneity and subcellular localization to peroxidase-positive granules. 216 60

Nonporous, microparticulate, monodisperse silicas with particle diameters between 0.7 and 2.1 microns are introduced as stationary phases in high-performance affinity chromatography. The immobilization of m-aminophenylboronic acid, p-aminobenzamidine, tri-L-alanine, and concanavalin A onto these silicas was successfully achieved using 3-isothiocyanatopropyl-triethoxysilane as an activation reagent. Immobilized phenylboronic acid was applied to the isolation of nucleosides, nucleotides, and glycoprotein hormones such as bovine follicotropin and human chorionic gonadotropin, while immobilized benzamidine was employed for the isolation of the serine proteases thrombin and trypsin, immobilized tri-L-alanine for the separation of pig pancreatic elastase and human leukocyte elastase, and immobilized concanavalin A for the isolation of horseradish peroxidase. In all affinity chromatographic systems studied, the nonporous monodisperse silicas showed improved chromatographic performance compared to results obtained with porous silica supports using identical activation and immobilization procedures. Furthermore, frontal analysis was used as a method to evaluate the influence of experimental parameters on biological activity and accessible ligand densities. Only minor changes in bioactivity were found with the nonporous affinity supports, where accessibilities were typically higher than ca. 60%. The immobilization of affinity ligands onto porous supports as used in this and associated papers thus represents a successful general procedure for the preparation of stable matrices with fast kinetics for use in high-performance affinity chromatography.
 ...
PMID:High-performance liquid affinity chromatography with phenylboronic acid, benzamidine, tri-L-alanine, and concanavalin A immobilized on 3-isothiocyanatopropyltriethoxysilane-activated nonporous monodisperse silicas. 254 22

Bacteria and the inflammatory response they engender are implicated in the pathophysiology of premature rupture of fetal membranes and preterm birth. We tested the hypothesis that bacteria and polymorphonuclear neutrophils may have both separate and combined effects in weakening the amniochorionic membrane, and thus predispose to premature rupture of membranes. We examined how three parameters of membrane integrity (bursting tension, work to rupture, and elasticity) were affected by standardized preparations (10(9) cfu/mL) of group B streptococci or Staphylococcus aureus in the presence or absence of purified human neutrophils (32 x 10(6)/mL). In addition, effects of purified human neutrophil elastase were evaluated. Exposure to either group B streptococcus or S aureus decreased membrane strength, elasticity, and work to rupture. Only activated neutrophils had significant effects on membrane strength. Membrane exposure to S aureus plus neutrophils led to an additive weakening of fetal membranes. On the other hand, group B streptococci did not interact with neutrophils to yield a significant further weakening of the membranes. Elastase (150 U/mL) also weakened the membrane. The results were correlated with measures of protease (Azocoll and ninhydrin assays) and peroxidase (dimethoxybenzidine) activity. Our findings support the concept that human neutrophils and their constituent enzymes may act in concert with bacteria and their protease(s) in weakening amniochorion, and may possibly predispose to premature rupture of membranes in some women. These observations require clinical correlations.
 ...
PMID:Bacteria and inflammatory cells reduce chorioamniotic membrane integrity and tensile strength. 255 66

Using immunochemical analysis with standard antisera, leukocyte thermostable alpha-glycoprotein (LT alpha G) was shown to be distinct from lactoferrin, lysozyme, and fibronectin. The determination of peroxidase and nonspecific elastase in immune precipitates of LT alpha G gave negative results. Affinity sorption of LT alpha G onto the pus protein component was revealed. Purified LT alpha G had amidolytic activity in response to a substrate for elastase (p-nitroanilide succinyl-trialanyl). The ability of LT alpha G to cause the hydrolysis of substrates for thrombin, kallikrein, plasmin was investigated. The identity of LT alpha G and granulocyte elastase is suggested.
 ...
PMID:[Thermostable leukocyte alpha-glycoprotein: immunochemical study and enzyme activity research]. 310 19

Previous ultrastructural studies of human neutrophils showed two distinctive granule types, the azurophil (peroxidase-positive) and the specific (peroxidase-negative). By identification of granules with peroxidase activity and those immunopositive for elastase antigen, the authors defined two subpopulations of azurophil granules, one that contained peroxidase activity and no measurable elastase antigen and another that contained elastase antigen associated with a small amount of peroxidase activity. They quantitated the peroxidase-positive as well as the elastase-positive granules in human peripheral blood neutrophils and found an average of 1536 +/- 69 peroxidase-positive granules per neutrophil. Of these, 399 +/- 20 were also elastase-positive. The average elastase concentration per neutrophil was 1.59 pg, and the average concentration per granule was 4 X 10(-3) pg. It is concluded that in normal individuals approximately one-third of the azurophil granules contain elastase antigen. Because neutrophil elastase has been implicated in the pathogenesis of emphysema, quantitation of its distribution within the cell presents an approach that may help define selective azurophil granule release and its relationship to the development of emphysema.
 ...
PMID:Ultrastructural quantitation of peroxidase- and elastase-containing granules in human neutrophils. 335 53

Immunohistochemical studies were performed on the temporal artery of 34 patients with clinically established polymyalgia rheumatica (PR) or temporal arteritis, 6 patients with vasculitis, and 25 patients with various diseases. The combined immunofluorescence and peroxidase-anti-Peroxidase Methode zeigte Immunoglobulin- und C3-Ablagerunin histologically affected and to some degree also in unaffected arteries of patients with PR and in all patients with temporal arteritis. The deposits were found both inter- and intracellularly, and contained IgA and to a lesser extend IgG, IgM, and C3. Linear deposits of leukocyte elastase were found along the fragmented internal lamina, and decaying polymorphonuclear (PMN) leukocytes surrounded by elastase-containing inclusions were found in the neighborhood of zones rich in elastic material. These findings suggest that immune complex deposition is a prominent feature of temporal arteritis and that the PMN elastase is probably involved in the destruction of elastic fibers. The combined immunohistochemical investigation appears to increase the diagnostic value of temporal artery biopsy.
 ...
PMID:Temporal arteritis in polymyalgia rheumatica: immune complex deposits and the role of the leukocyte elastase in the pathogenesis. 655 32

Diagnosis of male genital inflammations plays a significant role in andrology. Although genital infections are often silent, they can severely impair male fertility. In the seminal plasma of 305 patients, immunoglobulins IgG, IgA, complement factor C3C, coeruloplasmin and the number of peroxidase-positive cells were determined in addition to conventional semen parameters and microbiological investigations. A leukocyte esterase dipstick test was also carried out. All these parameters were correlated with the granulocyte elastase determined by an enzyme immunoassay. A highly significant correlation between elastase concentrations and the other parameters indicating inflammation was observed. After anti-inflammatory treatment, elastase concentrations decreased markedly. The results showed that exact quantification of granulocyte elastase is a very specific and sensitive method to distinguish inflammatory from non-inflammatory male adnexal affections, which is appropriate for control of anti-inflammatory treatment and facilitates the diagnosis of inflammatory processes in andrology.
 ...
PMID:Granulocyte elastase indicates silent male genital tract inflammation and appropriate anti-inflammatory treatment. 926 68


1 2 Next >>