Microbial metalloproteases and pathogenesis

Zinc metalloproteases produced by human pathogenic microorganisms show a wi de variety of pathological actions. In local infections, the proteases caus e necrotic or hemorrhagic tissue damage through digestion of structural com ponents of the ground substance, and also form edematous lesions through ge neration of inflammatory mediators, while in systemic infections, the prote ases act as a synergist-ic virulence factor through disordered proteolysis of many plasma proteins. Clostridial neurotoxins, Bacteroides fragilis ente rotoxin and Bacillus anthracis lethal factor are also zinc metalloproteases . (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.