OBJECTIVE: Chymase, a chymotrypsin-like protease, is a non-ACE angiotensin II (Ang II) generating enzyme. We determined if maternal chymotrypsin-like protease/chymase activity was increased in women with preeclampsia (PE). METHODS: Maternal plasma was extracted from venous blood of healthy nonpregnant women, women with normal and preeclamptic pregnancies. Chymotrypsin-like protease/chymase activity was measured by a colorimetric assay. Maternal vessel chymotrypsin-like protease/chymase expression was examined by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Maternal plasma chymotrypsin-like protease/chymase activity was significantly higher in women with PE than in nonpregnant and normal pregnant women: 0.181 +/- 0.011 vs. 0.097 +/- 0.05 (p < 0.01) and 0.132 +/- 0.013 (p < 0.05) microkat/mL. Chymotrypsin-like protease/chymase activity was markedly reduced 24 hours postpartum in women with PE, p < 0.05. Enhanced chymotrypsin-like protease/chymase expression was observed in vascular endothelium in women with PE compared with those in normal pregnancies. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated maternal chymotrypsin-like protease/chymase activity and enhanced protease immunostaining in the maternal vessel endothelium may constitute the exacerbated inflammatory state and account for the increased vascular Ang II sensitivity in PE.
OBJECTIVE:Chymase, a chymotrypsin-like protease, is a non-ACEangiotensin II (Ang II) generating enzyme. We determined if maternal chymotrypsin-like protease/chymase activity was increased in women with preeclampsia (PE). METHODS: Maternal plasma was extracted from venous blood of healthy nonpregnant women, women with normal and preeclamptic pregnancies. Chymotrypsin-like protease/chymase activity was measured by a colorimetric assay. Maternal vessel chymotrypsin-like protease/chymase expression was examined by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Maternal plasma chymotrypsin-like protease/chymase activity was significantly higher in women with PE than in nonpregnant and normal pregnant women: 0.181 +/- 0.011 vs. 0.097 +/- 0.05 (p < 0.01) and 0.132 +/- 0.013 (p < 0.05) microkat/mL. Chymotrypsin-like protease/chymase activity was markedly reduced 24 hours postpartum in women with PE, p < 0.05. Enhanced chymotrypsin-like protease/chymase expression was observed in vascular endothelium in women with PE compared with those in normal pregnancies. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated maternal chymotrypsin-like protease/chymase activity and enhanced protease immunostaining in the maternal vessel endothelium may constitute the exacerbated inflammatory state and account for the increased vascular Ang II sensitivity in PE.
Authors: R J Weir; J J Brown; R Fraser; A Kraszewski; A F Lever; G M McIlwaine; J J Morton; J I Robertson; M Tree Journal: Lancet Date: 1973-02-10 Impact factor: 79.321
Authors: V Richard; S Hurel-Merle; E Scalbert; G Ferry; F Lallemand; J P Bessou; C Thuillez Journal: Circulation Date: 2001-08-14 Impact factor: 29.690
Authors: Norihito Moniwa; Jasmina Varagic; Stephen W Simington; Sarfaraz Ahmad; Sayaka Nagata; Jessica L Voncannon; Carlos M Ferrario Journal: Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol Date: 2013-06-28 Impact factor: 4.733