Chymase, function

Mast cell protease A3 is less well characterized than tryptase and chymase in terms of physiological substrates. It is involved, among its other functions, in angiotensin metabolism. 

Irani, A.A., Craig, S.S., DeBlois, G., Elson, C.O., Schechter, N.M. and Schwartz, L.B. (1987a). Deficiency of the tryptase-positive, chymase-negative mast cell type in gastrointestinal mucosa to patients with defective T lymphocyte function. J. Immunol. 138, 4381-4386. 

D. Yamamoto, N. Shiota, S. Takai, T. Ishida, H. Okunishi, M. Miyazaki. Three-dimensional molecular modeling explains why catalytic function for angiotensin-I is different between human and rat chymases. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1998, 242, 158-163. 

Workers from the same Dutch group also examined genetic polymorphisms in chymase, a mediator secreted by activated mast cells and implicated in tissue damage, in Dutch and Japanese patients (146). While no association was found with disease susceptibility, the —526 C/T SNP was associated with a lower inspiratory vital capacity in Dutch patients, suggesting it may be involved in functional outcome in sarcoidosis. 

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