Serine proteinases such as thrombin, mast cell tryptase, trypsin, or cathepsin G, for example, are highly active mediators with diverse biological activities. So far, proteinases have been considered to act primarily as degradative enzymes in the extracellular space. However, their biological actions in tissues and cells suggest important roles as a part of the body's hormonal communication system during inflammation and immune response. These effects can be attributed to the activation of a new subfamily of G protein-coupled receptors, termed proteinase-activated receptors (PARs). Four members of the PAR family have been cloned so far. Thus, certain proteinases act as signaling molecules that specifically regulate cells by activating PARs. After stimulation, PARs couple to various G proteins and activate signal transduction pathways resulting in the rapid transcription of genes that are involved in inflammation. For example, PARs are widely expressed by cells involved in immune responses and inflammation, regulate endothelial-leukocyte interactions, and modulate the secretion of inflammatory mediators or neuropeptides. Together, the PAR family necessitates a paradigm shift in thinking about hormone action, to include proteinases as key modulators of biological function. Novel compounds that can modulate PAR function may be potent candidates for the treatment of inflammatory or immune diseases.

The vanilloid receptor subtype 1 (VR1)/(TRPV1), binding capsaicin, is a non-selective cation channel that recently has been shown in human keratinocytes in vitro and in vivo. However, a description of VR1 localization in other cutaneous compartments in particular cutaneous nerve fibers is still lacking. We therefore investigated VR1 immunoreactivity as well as mRNA and protein expression in a series (n = 26) of normal (n = 7), diseased (n = 13) [prurigo nodularis (PN) (n = 10), generalized pruritus (n = 1), and mastocytosis (n = 2)], and capsaicin-treated human skin (n = 6). VR1 immunoreactivity could be observed in cutaneous sensory nerve fibers, mast cells, epidermal keratinocytes, dermal blood vessels, the inner root sheet and the infundibulum of hair follicles, differentiated sebocytes, sweat gland ducts, and the secretory portion of eccrine sweat glands. Upon reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis, VR1 was detected in mast cells and keratinocytes from human skin. In pruritic skin of PN, VR1 expression was highly increased in epidermal keratinocytes and nerve fibers, which was normalized after capsaicin application. During capsaicin therapy, a reduction of neuropeptides (substance P, calcitonin gene-related peptide) was observed. After cessation of capsaicin therapy, neuropeptides re-accumulated in skin nerves. In conclusion, VR1 is widely distributed in the skin, suggesting a major role for this receptor, e.g. in nociception and neurogenic inflammation.

Proteinase-activated receptor-2 (PAR2) belongs to a new G protein-coupled receptor subfamily activated by serine proteinases. PAR2 has been demonstrated to play a role during inflammation and immune response in different tissues including the skin. We examined whether PAR2 is functionally expressed by cutaneous human primary skin mast cells (HPMC) and the human mast cell line 1 (HMC-1). Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and FACS analysis show expression of PAR2 both at the RNA and protein level. HPMCs and HMC-1 also express PAR1, PAR3, and PAR4. Ca-mobilization studies demonstrate functional PAR2 expressed by human skin mast cells, as shown by natural and synthetic PAR2 agonists. PAR2 agonists induced histamine release from HPMC indicating a role of PAR2 in regulating inflammatory and immune responses by skin mast cells. Double-immunofluorescence staining reveals colocalization of PAR2 with tryptase in the majority of human skin mast cells. In conclusion, trypsin and tryptase as well as specific agonists for PAR2 were able to induce Ca2+ mobilization in HPMCs, and agonists of PAR2 induce the release of histamine from these cells. Thus, PAR2 may be an important regulator of skin mast cell function during cutaneous inflammation and hypersensitivity.

Proteinase-activated receptor-2 (PAR2) belongs to a new G protein-coupled receptor subfamily that is activated by various serine proteases. Recent knowledge indicates that PAR2 is involved in cutaneous inflammation and immune response. PAR2 is highly expressed by human keratinocytes (KTC). The underlying mechanisms of PAR2-mediated KTC function and cutaneous immune response are, however, still incomplete. Therefore, we investigated the activation of important signaling cascades in primary human KTC after PAR2-stimulation using specific agonists. Moreover, we compared PAR2-immunoreactivity in the epidermis of inflammatory dermatoses and normal human skin. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays and morphological transduction studies revealed PAR2-induced activation and translocation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) in primary human KTC with a maximum after 1 h. Supershift analysis demonstrated acivation of the p50/p65 heterodimer complex. PAR2 agonists also induced upregulation of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) RNA, as shown by RT-PCR. Use of NF-kappaB inhibitors prevented upregulation of the cell adhesion molecule ICAM-1 in KTC indicating a direct role of NF-kappaB in PAR2-mediated upregulation of ICAM-1. Fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis confirmed PAR2-induced and NF-kappaB-mediated upregulation of ICAM-1 protein after 13 h. Moreover, increased expression of PAR2 was detected in KTC of patients with atopic dermatitis suggesting a role of PAR2 in human skin inflammation. In conclusion, PAR2 induces upregulation of cell adhesion molecules such as ICAM-1 in primary human KTC via NF-kappaB activation, and is upregulated in KTC during cutaneous inflammation. Thus, PAR2 may play an important regulatory role of human KTC during inflammation and immune response.

The plasmid-encoded AIDA (adhesin involved in diffuse adherence) autotransporter protein derived from diffuse-adhering clinical Escherichia coli isolate 2787 and the TibA (enterotoxigenic invasion locus B) protein encoded by the chromosomal tib locus of enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) strain H10407 are posttranslationally modified by carbohydrate substituents. Analysis of the AIDA-I adhesin showed that the modification involved heptose residues. AIDA-I is modified by the heptosyltransferase activity of the product of the aah gene, which is located directly upstream of adhesin-encoding gene aidA. The carbohydrate modification of the TibA adhesin/invasin is mediated by the TibC protein but has not been elucidated. Based on the sequence similarities between TibC and AAH (autotransporter adhesin heptosyltransferase) and between the TibA and the AIDA proteins we hypothesized that the AIDA system and the Tib system encoded by the tib locus are structurally and functionally related. Here we show that (i) TibC proteins derived from different ETEC strains appear to be highly conserved, (ii) recombinant TibC proteins can substitute for the AAH heptosyltransferase in introducing the heptosyl modification to AIDA-I, (iii) this modification is functional in restoring the adhesive function of AIDA-I, (iv) a single amino acid substitution at position 358 completely abolishes this activity, and (v) antibodies directed at the functionally active AIDA-I recognize a protein resembling modified TibA in ETEC strains. In summary, we conclude that, like AAH, TibC represents an example of a novel class of heptosyltransferases specifically transferring heptose residues onto multiple sites of a protein backbone. A potential consensus sequence for the modification site is suggested.