| Title | Proteases and antiproteases in chronic neutrophilic lung disease - relevance to drug discovery. | | Author(s) | Greene CM, McElvaney NG | | Institution | Respiratory Research Division, Department of Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Education and Research Centre, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland. | | Source | Br J Pharmacol 2009 Oct; 158(4Themed Section: Mediators and Receptors in the Resolution of Inflammation: Guest Editor: AG Stewart):1048-1058. | | Abstract | Chronic inflammatory lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis and emphysema are characterized by higher-than-normal levels of pulmonary proteases. While these enzymes play important roles such as bacterial killing, their dysregulated expression or activity can adversely impact on the inflammatory process. The existence of efficient endogenous control mechanisms that can dampen or halt this overexuberant protease activity in vivo is essential for the effective resolution of inflammatory lung disease. The function of pulmonary antiproteases is to fulfil this role. Interestingly, in addition to their antiprotease activity, protease inhibitors in the lung also often possess other intrinsic properties that contribute to microbial killing or termination of the inflammatory process. This review will outline important features of chronic inflammation that are regulated by pulmonary proteases and will describe the various mechanisms by which antiproteases attempt to counterbalance exaggerated protease-mediated inflammatory events. These proteases, antiproteases and their modifiers represent interesting targets for therapeutic intervention. This article is part of a themed issue on Mediators and Receptors in the Resolution of Inflammation. To view this issue visit http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/121548564/issueyear?year=2009. | | Language | ENG | | Pub Type(s) | JOURNAL ARTICLE
| | PubMed ID | 19845686 |
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