Reddy Vemuri B, Iuga Aurel O, Shimada Steve G, LaMotte Robert H, Lerner Ethan A
Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, USA.
J Neurosci. 2008 Apr 23;28(17):4331-5. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0716-08.2008.
Cowhage spicules provide an important model for histamine-independent itch. We determined that the active component of cowhage, termed mucunain, is a novel cysteine protease. We isolated mucunain and demonstrate that both native and recombinant mucunain evoke the same quality of itch in humans. We also show that mucunain is a ligand for protease-activated receptors two and four. These results support and expand the relationship between proteases, protease-activated receptors, and itch.
刺蒴麻刺提供了一个不依赖组胺引起瘙痒的重要模型。我们确定刺蒴麻的活性成分,即木豆蛋白酶,是一种新型半胱氨酸蛋白酶。我们分离出了木豆蛋白酶,并证明天然和重组木豆蛋白酶在人类身上引起的瘙痒性质相同。我们还表明,木豆蛋白酶是蛋白酶激活受体2和4的配体。这些结果支持并扩展了蛋白酶、蛋白酶激活受体与瘙痒之间的关系。