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Current Pharmaceutical Design

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 1381-6128
ISSN (Online): 1873-4286

Mast Cell Chymase and Tryptase as Targets for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases

Author(s): Aina He and Guo-Ping Shi

Volume 19, Issue 6, 2013

Page: [1114 - 1125] Pages: 12

DOI: 10.2174/1381612811319060012

Price: $65

Abstract

Mast cells are critical effectors in inflammatory diseases, including cardiovascular and metabolic diseases and their associated complications. These cells exert their physiological and pathological activities by releasing granules containing histamine, cytokines, chemokines, and proteases, including mast cell-specific chymases and tryptases. Several recent human and animal studies have shown direct or indirect participation of mast cell-specific proteases in atherosclerosis, abdominal aortic aneurysms, obesity, diabetes, and their complications. Animal studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of highly selective and potent chymase and tryptase inhibitors in several experimental cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. In this review, we summarize recent discoveries from in vitro cell-based studies to experimental animal disease models, from protease knockout mice to treatments with recently developed selective and potent protease inhibitors, and from patients with preclinical disorders to those affected by complications. We hypothesize that inhibition of chymases and tryptases would benefit patients suffering from cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

Keywords: Mast cell, chymase, tryptase, atherosclerosis, abdominal aortic aneurysms, obesity, diabetes.


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