title: Tryptase, a novel link between allergic inflammation and fibrosis.
abstract: Allergy is a complex inflammatory disease, the etiology of which is well defined. It has recently been proposed that eosinophil, mast-cell and fibroblast interactions contribute to allergy perpetuation. Moreover, mast-cell-derived tryptase might act as a link among these cells. This hypothesis is supported by two recent papers that show that tryptase, seemingly through the protease-activated receptor-2, mediates eosinophil infiltration in the airways and fibroblast proliferation that depends on both cyclooxygenase and prostaglandin synthesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel. fls@cc.huji.ac.il
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Levi-Schaffer
authors.forename: Adrian M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Piliponsky
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D044464:Receptor, PAR-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism*; D053802:Tryptases
chemical_list: D044464:Receptor, PAR-2; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D053802:Tryptases