Inactivation of bradykinin and kallidin by cathepsin G and mast cell chymase.

Human neutrophil cathepsin G and human skin chymase can inactivate bradykinin by cleavage at the carboxy terminal phenylalanyl-arginyl peptide bond of this polypeptide. The mast cell enzyme is far more effective than cathepsin G, the rates of hydrolysis being comparable to that found for angiotensin I to angiotensin II conversion (C.F. Reilly, D. Tewksbury, N. Schechter, and J. Travis, J. Biological Chemistry 257:8619-8622). This ability to both inactivate bradykinin and accelerate the production of angiotensin II may be of significance in the development of biochemical events associated with inflammation.