Review Article

The Role of Mast Cell Specific Chymases and Tryptases in Tumor Angiogenesis

Table 1

Characteristics of major human and murine mast cell proteases.

Protein designationMast cell subtypeChromosomal locationGene namePrimary substrate specificitySubunit structure

Chymase

Human
Chymase (CMA1) MCTC14q11.2CMA1 Chymotrypsin-like (aromatic amino acid) Monomer

Mouse
mMCP-1MMC14C1/2Mcpt1 Chymotrypsin-like (aromatic amino acid) Monomer
mMCP-2MMC14C1/2Mcpt2 Unknown (low enzymatic activity) Monomer
mMCP-4CTMC14C1/2Mcpt4 Chymotrypsin-like (aromatic amino acid) Monomer
mMCP-5CTMC14C1/2Cma1/Mcpt5 Elastase-like (Val/Ala/Ile) Monomer

Tryptase

Human
Tryptase βII/βIII (human) MCTC/MCT16p13.3TPSB2 Trypsin-like (Arg/Lys) Tetramer
Tryptase αI/βI (human) MCTC/MCT16p13.3TPSAB1 Trypsin-like (Arg/Lys) Tetramer

Mouse
mMCP-6CTMC17A3.3Mcpt6 Trypsin-like (Arg/Lys) Tetramer
mMCP-7CTMC17A3.3Tpsab1 Trypsin-like (Arg/Lys) Tetramer

Carboxypeptidase A3

Human
MC-CPAMCTC3q24CPA3 CPA-like
(C-terminal aromatic/aliphatic amino acids)
Monomer

Mouse
MC-CPACTMC3A3Cpa3 CPA-CPA-like
(C-terminal aromatic/aliphatic amino acids)
Monomer