Human skin proteinases as inflammatory mediators

Proteolytic enzymes are hydrolases capable of splitting peptide bonds of various proteins or peptides. Exopeptidases release one or two amino acids from the ends of the peptide chain whereas endopeptidases or proteinases cleave the backbone of the protein and release longer peptides. Proteinases can be classified into four different groups depending upon the nature of the active site. Proteinases appear to be involved in a wide variety of inflammatory events including blood clotting, clot lysis, degradation of cells and tissue matrix, cell transformation and chemotaxis of inflammatory cells.