Elastase

Instead, they each have their own role: Elastases of the serine protease type preferentially break down peptide bonds on the carboxyl side of small, hydrophobic amino acids such as glycine, alanine, and valine.

Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (A1AD) leads to uninhibited destruction of elastic fibre by elastase; the main result is emphysema.

[citation needed] Neutrophil elastase is responsible for the blistering in bullous pemphigoid, a skin condition, in the presence of antibodies.

It may also play a role in the formation of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Elastase has been shown to disrupt tight junctions, cause proteolytic damage to tissue, break down cytokines and alpha proteinase inhibitor, cleave immunoglobulin A and G (IgA, IgG), and cleave both C3bi, a component of the complement system, and CR1, a receptor on neutrophils for another complement molecule involved in phagocytosis.