PROTEASES: Potential Role in Health and Disease

We are pleased to present to our readers the Proceedings of the International Symposium "Proteases: Potential Role in Health and Disease" which was held in WUrzburg (FRG) during October 17-20, 1982. The topics discussed included those dealing with the physi­ ology and pathophysiology of proteases and their inhibitors, the interactions of proteases and hormones, the kallikrein-kinin system, complement and the coagulation system, the function of proteases in the kidney and the intestinal tract as well as the role of proteases in lung diseases, pancreatitis, arthritis and hypercatabolic states (multiple trauma, septicemia, acute renal failure). The papers presented answered many questions, but raised many more concerning the significance of proteases and their inhibitors in clinical medicine. It was unfortunately impossible in this volume to in­ clude the extended, lively and extremely stimulating discussions which were enjoyed by the participants during the conference. The meeting has provided a unique framework for close inter­ action between scientists from various disciplines, including bio­ chemistry, physiology, surgery, anaesthesiology, endocrinology, hematology, pulmonology and nephrology. We would like to express our thanks and appreciation for all those who have stimulated, encouraged and supported us to hold this symposium in WUrzburg. This endeavor could not have been possible without the generous financial support of the Paul-Martini­ Foundation (Mainz), Bayer AG (Leverkusen), Beiersdorf AG (Hamburg).

Physiology and Pathophysiology of Proteases and their Inhibitors.- Physiology and Pathophysiology of Neutral Proteinases of Human Granulocytes.- Regulation of Protease Activity.- Human Kininogens and their Function in the Kallikrein-Kinin Systems.- Possible Involvement of Kinins in Muscle Energy Metabolism.- Structure and Function of Natural Inhibitors as Antagonists of Proteinase Activities.- Oxidation of Alpha-1-Proteinase Inhibitor: Significance for Pathobiology.- In Vivo Significance of Kinetic Constants of Macromolecular Proteinase Inhibitors.- On the Multiplicity of Cellular Elastases and their Inefficient Control by Natural Inhibitors.- Proteases — Proteases Inhibitors: a Local Cellular Information System.- Proteases and Hormones.- Regulatory Proteolysis during Corticosteroid Hormone Action.- Proteases in Hormone Production and Metabolism.- Precursor Processing and Metabolism of Parathyroid Hormone: Regulation by Calcium.- Processing and Degradation of Met-Enkephalin by Peptidase Associated with Rat Brain Cortical Synaptosomes.- Proteases in Kidney and Intestinal Tract.- Characterization and Clinical Significance of Membrane Bound Proteases from Human Kidney Cortex.- Recent Advances in Protease Research using Synthetic Substrates.- Kinetic Characterization of Brush Border Membrane Proteases in Relationship to Mucosal Architecture by Section Biochemistry.- Fluorescence Detection of Proteases with AFC, AMC and MNA Peptides using Isoelectric Focusing.- Proteases and Blood System.- Pathophysiology of the Interaction between Complement and Non-Complement Proteases.- Interactions between the Alternative Complement Pathway and Proteases of the Coagulation System.- The Calcium-Dependent Neutral Protease of Human Blood Platelets: a Comparison of its Effects on the Receptors for von Willebrand Factor and for the Fc-Fragment Derived from IgG.- Alpha-2-Plasmin Inhibitor Inactivation by Human Granulocyte Elastase.- Heparin and Plasma Proteinase Inhibitors: Influence of Heparin on the Inhibition **of Thrombin by ?2Macroglobulin.- The Involvement of Plasmatic and Fibrinolytic Systems in Idiopathic Glomerulonephritis (GN) 2.- The Effect of Aprotinin on Platelet Function, Blood Coagulation and Blood Lactate Level in Total Hip Replacement — a Double Blind Clinical Trial.- Proteases and Lung.- Interaction of Granulocyte Proteases with Inhibitors in Pulmonary Diseases.- Leukoproteinases and Pulmonary Emphysema: Cathepsin G and other Chymotrypsin-Like Proteinases Enhance the Elastolytic Activity of Elastase on Lung Elastin.- Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS): Experimental Models with Elastase and Thrombin Infusion in Pigs.- Proteases and Arthritis.- Interactions of Granulocyte Proteases with Inhibitors in Rheumatoid Arthritis.- Quantitation of Human Leukocyte Elastase, Cathepsin G, ? -2-Macroglobulin and ?-1-Proteinase Inhibitor in Osteoarthrosis and Rheumatoid Arthritis Synovial Fluids.- Plasma Levels of Inhibitor Bound Leukocytic Elastase in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients.- a2M-Pasebic Assay: a Solid Phase Immunosorbent Assay to Characterize Alpha2-Macroglobulin — Proteinase Complexes and the Proteinase Bindings-Capacity of Alpha2-Macroglobulin.- Role of Alpha2-Macroglobulin: Proteinase Complexes in Pathogenesis of Inflammation: ‘F’ a2M but not’s’ a2M Induces Synovitis in Rabbits after Repeated Intra-Articular Administration.- Hypercatabolism.- Enzyme-Linked Immunoassay for Human Granulocyte Elastase in Complex with ?1-Proteinase Inhibitor.- Proteinases and their Inhibitors in Septicemia Basic Concepts and Clinical Implications.- Proteolytic Activity in Patients with Hypercatabolic Renal Failure.- Release of Granulocyte Neutral Proteinases in Patients with Acute and Chronic Renal Failure.- Changes in Components of the Plasma Kallikrein-Kinin and Fibrinolytic Systems Induced by a Standardized Surgical Trauma.- Endotoxins and Coagulation Parameters in Patients with Traumatic Haemorrhagic- and Bacteriotoxic Shock.- Studies on Pathological Plasma Proteolysis in Severely Burned Patients using Chromogenic Peptide Substrate Assays: A Preliminary Report.- Changes in Components of the Plasma Protease Systems Related to Course and Outcome of Surgical Sepsis.- Pancreatitis.- Role of Proteases in the Development of Acute Pancreatitis.- On the Potential Role of Trypsin and Trypsin Inhibitors in Acute Pancreatitis.- Studies on the Kallikrein-Kinin System in Plasma and Peritoneal Fluid during Experimental Pancreatitis.- The Influence of the Kallikrein-Kinin System in the Development of the Pancreatic Shock.- Proteases and Muscle Function.- Proteolytic Enzymes and Enhanced Muscle Protein Breakdown.- Ca2-Activated Proteinases, Protein Degradation and Muscular Dystrophy.- Muscle Cathepsin D Activity, and RNA, DNA and Protein Content in Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients.- Enhanced Muscle Protein Degradation and Amino Acid Release from the Hemicorpus of Acutely Uremic Rats.- Enhanced Muscle Protein Catabolism in Uremia.- Catabolic Stress on Intracellular Amino Acid Pool.- Rhabdomyolysis: a Clinical Entity for the Study of Role of Proteases.