Expression of neuroserpin, a selective inhibitor of tissue-type plasminogen activator in the human skin

Abstract

Serine protease of the fibrinolytic system and their specific inhibitors, the serine protease inhibitors (SERPINs) are implicated in a number of physiological and pathological processes in skin. The main SERPIN is the plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (or PAI-1), which is involved in wound healing and in pathogenesis of several diseases including skin fibrosis. Another member of SERPIN superfamily, the neuroserpin (NSP), is widely expressed in the central nervous system. It has been recently detected in different organs such as pancreas, heart, kidney and testis. In this study, we provided evidences for the presence of NSP in the skin, in 10 human skin samples (HSS) at mRNA level (RT-PCR) and protein level (Western blot and immunohistochemistry). The immunohistochemistry analysis showed that this expression was located in dermis around blood vessels.