HtrA1 is a novel mast cell serine protease of mice and men.
Mast cells are rich sources of proteases, such as tryptases and chymases that control many physiological and pathological processes, for example vascular permeability, smooth muscle cell proliferation or extracellular matrix remodeling. Murine mucosal mast cells mature under the influence of TGF-beta and play a role in asthmatic and anti-helminthic immune responses. In an attempt to identify novel genes that are highly upregulated during mucosal mast cell differentiation, we detected HtrA1 protease as a novel protein in mast cells by microarray experiments. HtrA1 level was much higher in murine mucosal than in connective tissue-type mast cells. Furthermore, HtrA1 is not localized in the secretory granules and is constitutively secreted by human mast cells. Although HtrA1 has been attributed a TGF-beta-inhibitory activity, it did not show any influence on TGF-beta-induced mucosal mast cell differentiation. As many extracellular target proteins have been suggested for HtrA1, this protease may participate in the mast cell-induced extracellular remodeling.
Gilicze
Anna
A
Department of Genetics, Cell and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University, 1089 Budapest, Nagyvárad tér 4, Hungary.
Kohalmi
Barbara
B
Pocza
Peter
P
Keszei
Marton
M
Jaeger
Judit
J
Gorbe
Eva
E
Papp
Zoltan
Z
Toth
Sara
S
Falus
Andras
A
Wiener
Zoltan
Z
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects; D000074289:High-Temperature Requirement A Serine Peptidase 1; D006801:Humans; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D021381:Protein Transport; D022142:Secretory Vesicles; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects
D016207:Cytokines; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D000074289:High-Temperature Requirement A Serine Peptidase 1; C474012:HTRA1 protein, human; C492073:HtrA1 protein, mouse; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases