title: Heparin and heparan sulphate are inhibitors of human leucocyte elastase.
abstract: 1. Heparin and heparan sulphate strongly inhibited human leucocyte elastase activity in an automated assay using the soluble substrate, n-succinyl-(L-alanine)3-p-nitroanilide (50% inhibition of 250 microliters of 10 micrograms of human leucocyte elastase/ml was obtained with 80 microliters of 2.8 micrograms of heparin/ml and 8 micrograms of heparan sulphate/ml). Less significant inhibition at the same concentrations was seen with the other glycosaminoglycans tested: hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulphates A-C. 2. Heparin and heparan sulphate also strongly inhibited human leucocyte elastase activity towards insoluble human lung elastin, as determined by an e.l.i.s.a. for soluble elastin-derived peptides released by elastolytic activity on the elastin. This inhibition was shown not to be due to a direct interference of the glycosaminoglycans in the e.l.i.s.a. nor to the inhibition causing a change in the size of the elastin-derived peptides. However, unlike the chromogenic assay with n-succinyl-(L-alanine)3-p-nitroanilide as substrate, where heparin was the more effective inhibitor, in this assay system heparan sulphate was the more effective inhibitor (50% inhibition of 100 microliters of 50 ng of human leucocyte elastase/ml was obtained with 100 microliters of 4.5 micrograms of heparin/ml and 0.8 microgram of heparan sulphate/ml). These results suggest that heparin and heparan sulphate, as components of cellular and basement membranes, are likely to have a role in protecting structural proteins, such as elastin, from the proteolytic activity of human leucocyte elastase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Chemistry, Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science, Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Dillon
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scicchitano
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: McLennan
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002863:Chromogenic Compounds; D003864:Depression, Chemical; D004549:Elastin / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006493:Heparin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006497:Heparan Sulfate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002863:Chromogenic Compounds; D004549:Elastin; D006493:Heparin; D006497:Heparan Sulfate; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase