4.5 Review Book Chapter

Role of Chitin and Chitinase/Chitinase-Like Proteins in Inflammation, Tissue Remodeling, and Injury

Journal

ANNUAL REVIEW OF PHYSIOLOGY, VOL 73
Volume 73, Issue -, Pages 479-501

Publisher

ANNUAL REVIEWS
DOI: 10.1146/annurev-physiol-012110-142250

Keywords

asthma; fibrosis; BRP-39/YKL-40; AMCase; chitotriosidase

Categories

Funding

  1. NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, AND BLOOD INSTITUTE [R01HL081639, K08HL103770, R01HL093017, T32HL007778, U01HL108638] Funding Source: NIH RePORTER
  2. NHLBI NIH HHS [T32 HL007778, U01 HL108638, R01 HL081639, K08 HL103770, R01 HL093017] Funding Source: Medline

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The 18 glycosyl hydrolase family of chitinases is an ancient gene family that is widely expressed from prokaryotes to eukaryotes. In mammals, despite the absence of endogenous chitin, a number of chitinases and chitinase-like proteins (C/CLPs) have been identified. However, their roles have only recently begun to be elucidated. Acidic mammalian chitinase (AMCase) inhibits chitin-induced innate inflammation; augments chitin-free, allergen-induced Th2 inflammation; and mediates effector functions of IL-13. The CLPs BRP-39/YKL-40 (also termed chitinase 3-like 1) inhibit oxidant-induced lung injury, augments adaptive Th2 immunity, regulates apoptosis, stimulates alternative macrophage activation, and contributes to fibrosis and wound healing. In accord with these findings, levels of YKL-40 in the lung and serum are increased in asthma and other inflammatory and remodeling disorders and often correlate with disease severity. Our understanding of the roles of C/CLPs in inflammation, tissue remodeling, and tissue injury in health and disease is reviewed below.

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