Kimmo Suomalainen

Activation of latent human neutrophil collagenase by reactive oxygen species and serine proteases.

The ability of various reactive oxygen species and serine proteases to activate latent collagenase (matrix metalloproteinase-1) purified from human neutrophils was examined. Latent 70-75 kD human neutrophil collagenase (HNC) was efficiently activated by known non-proteolytic activators phenylmercuric chloride (an organomercurial compound) and gold thioglucose (Au(I)-salt). Corresponding degree of activation was achieved by reactive oxygen species including hypochlorous acid (HOCl), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and hydroxyl radical generated by hypoxanthine/xanthine oxidase (HX/XAO). The presence of trace amounts of iron and EDTA were necessary and even enhanced H2O2 induced activation of latent HNC. This activation could be abolished by an iron chelator desferrioxamine and a hydroxyl radical scavenger mannitol. HOCl induced activation of latent HNC was not affected by desferrioxamine and mannitol. Thus, these compounds do not inhibit the active/activated form of HNC. Latent HNC could also be activated by trypsin and chymotrypsin but not by plasmin and plasma kallikrein. The ability of mannitol and desferrioxamine to inhibit the H2O2-induced activation of HNC suggests the transition metal dependent Fenton reaction to be responsible for localized and/or site-specific generation of hydroxyl radical/hydroxyl radical -like oxidants to act as the activating oxygen species. Our results support the ability of myeloperoxidase derived HOCl to act as a direct oxidative activator of HNC and further suggest the existence of a new/alternative oxidative activation pathway of HNC involving hydroxyl radical.

Specificity of the anticollagenase action of tetracyclines: relevance to their anti-inflammatory potential.

The concentrations of doxycycline and 4-de-dimethylaminotetracycline required to inhibit 50% of collagenase activity were found to be 15 to 30 microM for human neutrophil and gingival crevicular fluid collagenases. Fibroblast collagenase was relatively resistant to inhibition by tetracyclines; the 50% inhibitory concentrations of doxycycline and 4-de-dimethylaminotetracycline were 280 and 510 microM, respectively.

The role of gingival crevicular fluid and salivary interstitial collagenases in human periodontal diseases.

Interstitial collagenases (matrix metalloproteinase-1, EC 3.4.24.7), isolated from extracts of inflamed human gingiva, gingival crevicular fluid and saliva were characterized for their molecular weight, proteolytic and non-proteolytic activation and substrate specificity against soluble collagen types I, II and III. All three collagenases had Mr of 70 K. The enzymes existed predominantly in a latent form that could be activated by aminophenylmercuric acetate, gold thioglucose and hypochlorous acid. Among serine proteases tested, trypsin, chymotrypsin, neutrophil cathepsin G and a combination of trypsin and human gingival fibroblast prostromelysin activated gingival and salivary interstitial collagenases. Plasmin and plasma kallikrein, however, were relatively ineffective activators. The collagenases degraded soluble type I and II collagens at apparently equal rates but considerably faster than they did type III collagen. These findings suggest that the characteristics of interstitial collagenases found in inflamed human gingiva, gingival crevicular fluid and saliva are consistent with those of human neutrophil interstitial collagenase rather than the fibroblast-type interstitial collagenase. Thus, neutrophils are suggested to be the main source of such enzymes in inflamed human gingiva, crevicular fluid and saliva during adult periodontitis.

Doxycycline in the protection of serum alpha-1-antitrypsin from human neutrophil collagenase and gelatinase.

The concentration of doxycycline required to inhibit 50% (50% inhibitory concentration for serpinase activity) of alpha-1-antitrypsin degradation by purified neutrophil collagenase was found to be approximately 20 microM, a value similar to the 50% inhibitory concentration of doxycycline required to inhibit collagen degradation by neutrophil collagenase. Doxycycline also efficiently inhibited phorbol myristate acetate-triggered neutrophil-mediated degradation of alpha-1-antitrypsin. This suggests that doxycycline can protect alpha-1-antitrypsin from collagenase and gelatinase in the presence of other proteases and biologically active molecules that are released by triggered neutrophils. The protection of a bodys alpha-1-antitrypsin shield from serpinolytic activity of collagenase and matrix metallproteinases can result in inhibition of serine proteases such as neutrophil elastase. Tetracyclines may thus protect matrix constituents from a wider spectrum of neutral proteases than previously recognized, not just from the matrix metalloproteinases collagenase and gelatinase.

Substrate Specificity and Activation Mechanisms of Collagenase from Human Rheumatoid Synovium

Substrate specificity studies of collagenase extracted from human rheumatoid synovium suggest that synovial pannus tissue overlying articular cartilage may not be particularly active in degradation of cartilage type II collagen, which, considering the poor inherent healing capacity of the articular hyaline cartilage, may exert a protective function against inadvertant tissue damage. Rheumatoid synovial tissue was also used to establish synovial fibroblast cell lines. Treatment of these cells in monolayer cultures with IL-1 leads to collagenase gene activation, increased collagenase production and an almost complete autoactivation of secreted collagenase. Interleukin-1 also activated stromelysin gene suggesting this as a possible mechanism effecting autoactivation. Latent human fibroblast and macrophage collagenase purified from culture medium were efficiently activated by phenylmercuric chloride but also by gold thioglucose, gold sodium thiomalate and HCIO. These new observations support the Cys73 switch activation mechanism. In contrast to neutrophil collagenase, the activation by gold(I) compounds and HCIO was associated with a change in the apparent molecular weight of the fibroblast procollagenase. In addition, gold(I) compounds rendered collagenase more susceptible to thermal denaturation. Thus the fibroblast-type interstitial collagenase, probably derived from fibroblast- and macrophage-like synoviocytes, seems to provide the predominant collagenolytic potential in human rheumatoid synovial tissue. Furthermore, the conditions in synovitis tissue may be such as to favor at least initial activation of collagenase synthesized and secreted in situ.

Collagenase Reserves in Polymorphonuclear Neutrophil Leukocytes from Synovial Fluid and Peripheral Blood of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Degradation of cartilage in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may be in part due to release of collagenase from specific granules of polymorphonuclear neutrophil leukocytes (PMNs) during degranulation. We decided to study, not synovial fluid (SF) collagenase, but PMN collagenase reserves. PMN were isolated from parallel SF and peripheral blood (PB) samples obtained from 7-arthritis patients. PMNs were stimulated in vitro by tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Collagenase activity in the supernatant without and with phenylmercuric chloride activation was studied. Compared to PB PMNs, there was no consistent decrease in the total collagenase reserves in the inflammatory SF PMNs. This suggests that the release of collagenase in the inflammatory synovial fluid does not deplete SF PMNs of the collagenase synthesized at the myelocyte stage. The role of PMN collagenase in pathogenesis of cartilage destruction would then seem to be more dependent on local release and autoactivation at cartilage surface by adherent PMNs and not excessive collagenase release from free floating SF PMNs at single cell level. Furthermore, under the experimental conditions used the proportion of collagenase released in active form was higher in SF PMN specimens than in PB PMN specimens (p less than 0.01). The predominant collagenous component of adult cartilage, native type II collagen, was degraded by PMN collagenase as fast as native type I collagen. These findings suggest an important role for this enzyme in destruction of the free cartilage surface in RA.

Dental Findings in Diabetic Adults

The dental status of dentate diabetic adults (n = 299) and its associations with diabetes-related factors was explored in Tehran, Iran. Presence of diabetes-related complications made no difference in mean values of DMFT, but was associated with a higher number of decayed and missing teeth, and fewer filled teeth. Higher level of HbA1c was associated with higher DMFT for men, but not for women. In conclusion, the results suggest a possible association between the level of metabolic control of diabetes mellitus and cumulative caries experience.

Gold sodium thiomalate activates latent human leukocyte collagenase.

Gold sodium thiomalate, a drug used widely in the therapy of rheumatoid arthritis, was found to be an activator of latent human polymorphonuclear leukocyte collagenase. The activation was demonstrated by two distinct and independent collagenase assays: (i) by recording with a spectrophotometer at 227 nm the enzyme‐induced increase in ultraviolet difference absorbance of native type I collagen connected to the cleavage of collagen at 37°C[(1986) Eur. J. Biochem. 156, 1‐4] and (ii) by SDS‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of formation of specific products of collagen resulting from collagenase cleavage at 25°C. Activation of latent collagenase by gold sodium thiomalate appeared to be of the same magnitude as by the known activator phenylmercuric chloride.

Latent human leukocyte collagenase can be activated by gold thioglucose and gold sodium thiomalate, but not by auranofin

Gold thioglucose and gold sodium thiomalate were shown to be potent activators of latent human leukocyte collagenase. No activation by auranofin was noted. The activation may proceed through the action of gold on the essential sulfhydrylgroups of latent enzyme and, thereby, mimick the action of the known organomercurial activators.

Increased collagenase activity in human rheumatoid meniscus.

Collagenase activity of the knee joint menisci of patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis was approximately 3-fold higher than that found in menisci of control patients. The mean collagenase activity in the macroscopically more diseased parts of the rheumatoid menisci was significantly higher than that in the less damaged areas. The specific degradation products resulting from the cleavage of human meniscoid type II collagen by rheumatoid meniscoid collagenase were demonstrated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Addition of N-ethylmaleimide, which activates latent mammalian collagenases, did not further increase collagenase activity in rheumatoid menisci. Thus in rheumatoid meniscus, collagenase may be synthesized and then activated, probably by proteolytic enzymes involved in the inflammatory reaction.