Abstract

Chymase activates latent transforming-growth factorβ to transforming-growth factorβ in vitro. Recent papers demonstrate that transforming-growth factorβ levels and tissue fibrosis were significantly reduced by chymase inhibitors in the experimental models. Thus, transforming-growth factorβ-related diseases such as fibrosis may become a novel target of chymase inhibitors.

Keywords: adhesion, chymase, inhibitor, fibrosis, transforming growth factor