Female gender appears to be protective in the development of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). This study sought to identify gender differences in cytokine and chemokine expression in an experimental rodent AAA model. Male and female rodent aortas were perfused with either saline (control) or elastase to induce AAA formation. Aortic diameter was determined and aortic tissue was harvested on po...

The mammalian host response to infection includes the production and secretion of antimicrobial peptides from phagocytes and epithelial cells. Protegrins, a group of broadly microbicidal peptides isolated originally from porcine neutrophil lysates, were found to be stored as inactive proforms in porcine neutrophil granules but could be activated extracellularly by neutrophil elastase. We assess...

BACKGROUND This investigation tested the hypothesis that L-selectin is important in experimental abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) formation in rodents. METHODS AND RESULTS Rat abdominal aortas were perfused with saline (control) or porcine pancreatic elastase and studied on postperfusion days 1, 2, 4, 7, and 14 (n=5 per treatment group per day). Neutrophil (polymorphonucleur leukocyte, PMN) an...

Faecal calprotectin and pancreatic elastase-1 are two of the most common gastrointestinal tract (GI) markers measured in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. We assessed change elastase levels after initiation CFTR modulators (mCFTR) paediatric patients with CF. Samples faecal were collected before 3 months modulator onset (2 measurements) 29 subjects: 21 (72%) received elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaft...

Ovalbumin is partially homologous in sequence with the proteinase inhibitors alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor and anti-thrombin III. The region of sequence in ovalbumin which corresponds to the reactive sites of these proteinase inhibitors is susceptible to attack by subtilisin, elastase, thermolysin, bromelain, and Bacillus cereus protease. The esterase activity of elastase is not inhibited by ova...

Objective(s): Cardiovascular disease has an important role in mortality caused by lung injury. Emphysema is associated with impaired pulmonary gas exchange efficiency and airflow limitation associated with small airway inflammation. The aim was to evaluate the interactions between lung injury, inflammation, and cardiovascular disease. Since gallic acid has antioxidant ...

Probucol (PB) is a drug commonly used for the treatment of hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis. In our previous study, we have proved that PB can ameliorate abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) induced by elastase in mice through its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effect. In this study, the water solubility and oral absorption of PB were improved by encapsulating PB into nanostructured lipid ca...

OBJECTIVE Exocrine pancreas dysfunction is seen in 10-30% of patients with type 1 and 2 diabetes. We have recently identified a syndrome of diabetes and exocrine pancreas dysfunction attributable to mutations in the carboxyl ester lipase (CEL) gene. We wanted to investigate the prevalence of pancreatic exocrine dysfunction in patients with maturity-onset diabetes of the young type 3 (MODY3). ...

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of bacterial pneumonia and is the principal cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Previous studies suggested that excessive activation of neutrophils results in the release of neutrophil elastase, which contributes to lung injury in severe pneumonia. Although both pneumococcal virulence factors and neutrophil elastase contribute to the developme...

Protease inhibitors such as aprotinin and urinastatin inhibited vascular endothelial cell injury induced by PMA-stimulated leukocytes, although their inhibitors did not suppress the production of active oxygen species released from leukocytes. On the other hand, in the presence of pancreas elastase (10 micrograms/ml), hydrogen peroxide (50 microM) caused severe injury of endothelial cells isola...