Proteinases and proteinase inhibitors as modulators of animal cell growth.

1. Three distinct lines of evidence indicate that proteinases are involved in the growth of cultured animal cells. 2. Endogenous growth-related proteinases have been identified, and exogenous proteinases can also stimulate cell proliferation, probably by different mechanisms. In some cases, higher concentrations of proteinases are cytotoxic. 3. Proteinase inhibitors, not surprisingly, inhibit cell growth, but can also be mitogenic at sub-inhibitory concentrations. 4. There must, therefore, be at least three major cellular processes in which proteinases or proteinase inhibitors can operate to exert a direct effect on cell proliferation. 5. Details of one action of an exogenous proteinase, typified by thrombin and the thrombin receptor, are becoming clear at the molecular level, but thrombin probably activates at least two intracellular signalling systems, as well as acting as a growth inhibitor in some situations. 6. Much remains to be investigated in other examples.