title: Role of serine proteases in inflammation: Bowman-Birk protease inhibitor (BBI) as a potential therapy for autoimmune diseases.
abstract: Serine proteases, a sub-category of the protease family, participate in various physiologic and pathologic conditions. Serine proteases are involved in different arms of the immune system and play an important role in inflammation. They have been evaluated as therapeutic targets in several inflammatory diseases. The Bowman-Birk protease inhibitor (BBI), a soybean-derived serine protease inhibitor, is resistant to temperature and acidic conditions. These characteristics make it a good candidate for oral administration, with no major side effects. In addition, the therapeutic effect of BBI has been shown in inflammatory diseases and cancer. We have demonstrated the immunoregulatory and anti-inflammatory effects of BBI in the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model of multiple sclerosis. Here we review the role of serine proteases in inflammatory diseases, with emphasis on the potential of BBI as a novel oral therapy for multiple sclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
authors.forename: Farinaz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Safavi
authors.forename: Abdolmohamad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rostami
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000201:enzymology*; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D057057:Serine Proteases / Q000502:physiology*; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014358:Trypsin Inhibitor, Bowman-Birk Soybean / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors; D014358:Trypsin Inhibitor, Bowman-Birk Soybean; D057057:Serine Proteases