Endothelial cell associated anti-elastolytic activity

• Published in: Inflammation Vol. 20; no. 3; pp. 327 - 337
• Main Authors: Hanley, M E, Terada, L S, Cheronis, J C, Repine, J E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-06-1996
• Subjects: Animals; Cattle; Cells, Cultured; Endothelium, Vascular - metabolism; Enzyme Inhibitors - metabolism; Enzyme Inhibitors - pharmacology; Humans; Leukocyte Elastase - antagonists & inhibitors; Substrate Specificity
• ISSN: 0360-3997; 1573-2576
• DOI: 10.1007/BF01488207

Addition of cultured and then carefully-washed bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells (EC) decreased (p < 0.05) human neutrophil elastase activity (HNE) in vitro. HNE activity was also decreased (p < 0.05) by addition of histone or protamine treated EC. However, addition of papain or trypsin treated EC decreased HNE activity less than addition of untreated cells suggesting that a protein rather than a difference in cell surface charge was responsible. Other observations suggest that EC anti-elastolytic activity was not due to binding of antiprotease from culture media but was dependent on EC protein synthesis. First, addition of EC grown previously in serum-free media decreased HNE activity the same (p < 0.05) as addition of EC cultured in media containing serum. Second, addition of EC treated beforehand with cycloheximide decreased HNE activity less than (p < 0.05) addition of untreated control EC. We conclude that EC most likely make and have anti-elastolytic activity on their surfaces and speculate that EC associated anti-elastolytic activity may modulate inflammatory, repair and other biologic processes involving neutrophil elastase.