Increased secretion of latent elastase activity following contact between human skin fibroblasts and elastin derived peptides.

Elastin-derived peptides were previously shown to influence human skin fibroblasts (HSF) chemotaxis and proliferation (Ghuysen et al., 1992). We report here that culturing HSF on kappa-elastin (kappa E) but not onto fibronectin (FN) enhanced the secretion of latent elastinolytic activity. The proteinase involved was identified as the 72 kDa gelatinase A. Moreover, HSF-kappa E as well as HSF-FN interactions modulated the secretions of Il1 induced expressions of elastinolytic activities.