title: The mast cell as an effector of connective tissue degradation: a study of matrix susceptibility to human mast cells.
abstract: The susceptibility of connective tissue elements to degradation by human mast cells was explored using purified mast cell tryptase and sonicated mast cell preparations. The R-22 strain of smooth muscle cells from rat heart was used for preparation in vitro of a labelled anchored matrix. Digestion of 11.9 +/- 1.2% (n = 5) of this matrix was observed after overnight incubation with the mast cell sonicates. Pretreatment of the sonicate with a tryptase inhibitor TLCK reduced the digestion by 42%. Digestion of 12 +/- 1% (n = 4) of the matrix was observed with purified tryptase. The susceptible substrate within this anchored insoluble matrix resided in the glycoprotein compartment as defined by enzymatic characterization of the residual matrix. Mast cells may play a role in mediating connective tissue degradation through the release of proteases specifically synthesized by this cell.
authors.affiliation: Division of Allergy, Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Suny, Stony Brook 11794-8161.
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Gruber
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Schwartz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000502:physiology*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000502:physiology*; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology; D006632:Histamine / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000502:physiology; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D006632:Histamine; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; C023073:tosylarginine methyl ester hydrolase