Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA 71130.
Curr Vasc Pharmacol. 2013 Sep;11(5):606-15. doi: 10.2174/1570161111311050005.
Chymase is a chymotrypsin-like serine protease. It has been identified as a key angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)-independent and endothelin converting enzyme (ECE)-independent converting enzyme that generates angiotensin II and endothelin-1 (ET-1). As an inflammatory protease, chymase participates in multiple inflammatory responses in the vasculature which drive cytokine production and adhesion molecule expression. Chymase is also involved in extracellular matrix remodeling in both vascular and non-vascular tissues. Consequently, chymase has been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple cardiovascular, immune, and inflammatory diseases. Recent studies have shown that chymase expression and activity are increased in placental trophoblasts and in the maternal vascular endothelium in women diagnosed with preeclampsia, a hypertensive disorder in human pregnancy. The present review will address the potential roles of chymase-mediated placental and vascular dysfunction in preeclampsia. The effects of chymase on inflammatory responses associated with endothelial activation/dysfunction in preeclampsia are also discussed.
糜酶是一种糜蛋白酶样丝氨酸蛋白酶。它已被确定为关键的血管紧张素转换酶（ACE）非依赖性和内皮素转换酶（ECE）非依赖性转换酶，可生成血管紧张素 II 和内皮素-1（ET-1）。作为一种炎症蛋白酶，糜酶参与血管中的多种炎症反应，驱动细胞因子产生和黏附分子表达。糜酶还参与血管和非血管组织的细胞外基质重塑。因此，糜酶与多种心血管、免疫和炎症性疾病的发病机制有关。最近的研究表明，在患有子痫前期的女性中，糜酶的表达和活性在胎盘滋养层细胞和母体血管内皮细胞中增加，子痫前期是人类妊娠中的一种高血压疾病。本综述将探讨糜酶介导的胎盘和血管功能障碍在子痫前期中的潜在作用。还讨论了糜酶对与子痫前期内皮细胞激活/功能障碍相关的炎症反应的影响。
