| First Author | Tchougounova E | Year | 2003 |
| Journal | J Exp Med | Volume | 198 |
| Issue | 3 | Pages | 423-31 |
| PubMed ID | 12900518 | Mgi Jnum | J:84839 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:2670316 | Doi | 10.1084/jem.20030671 |
| Citation | Tchougounova E, et al. (2003) The chymase, mouse mast cell protease 4, constitutes the major chymotrypsin-like activity in peritoneum and ear tissue. A role for mouse mast cell protease 4 in thrombin regulation and fibronectin turnover. J Exp Med 198(3):423-31 |
| abstractText | To gain insight into the biological role of mast cell chymase we have generated a mouse strain with a targeted deletion in the gene for mast cell protease 4 (mMCP-4), the mouse chymase that has the closest relationship to the human chymase in terms of tissue localization and functional properties. The inactivation of mMCP-4 did not affect the storage of other mast cell proteases and did not affect the number of mast cells or the mast cell morphology. However, mMCP-4 inactivation resulted in complete loss of chymotryptic activity in the peritoneum and in ear tissue, indicating that mMCP-4 is the main source of stored chymotrypsin-like protease activity at these sites. The mMCP-4 null cells showed markedly impaired ability to perform inactivating cleavages of thrombin, indicating a role for mMCP-4 in regulating the extravascular coagulation system. Further, a role for mMCP-4 in connective tissue remodeling was suggested by the inability of mMCP-4 null peritoneal cells to process endogenous fibronectin. |
