The most abundant secretory granule-derived serine proteinase contained in mast cells.
It has been used as a marker for mast cell activation.
Club cells contain tryptase, which is believed to be responsible for cleaving the hemagglutinin surface protein of influenza A virus, thereby activating it and causing the symptoms of flu.
Serum levels are normally less than 11.5 ng/mL.
Elevated levels of serum tryptase occur in both anaphylactic and anaphylactoid reactions, but a negative test does not exclude anaphylaxis.
Tryptase is less likely to be elevated in food allergy reactions as opposed to other causes of anaphylaxis.
Serum tryptase levels are also elevated in the presence of eosinophilic leukemias due to genetic mutations resulting in the formation of FIP1L1-PDGFRA fusion genes or the presence of systemic mastocytosis.
It is suspected to act as a mitogen for fibroblast lines.
Human genes that encode proteins with tryptase activity include:
Human Gene Enzyme
TPSAB1 Tryptase alpha-1
TPSAB1 Tryptase beta-1
TPSB2 Tryptase beta-2
TPSD1 Tryptase delta
TPSG1 Tryptase gamma
PRSS22 Tryptase epsilon
A marker for mast cell activation.