Chymase inhibitors may prevent postoperative adhesion formation

Objective: To clarify the role of chymase produced from mast cells in adhesion formation, we measured chymase activity level and investigated the preventive effect of a chymase inhibitor, Suc-Val-Pro-Phe p(OPh) 2, on the postoperative adhesion formation. Design: Prospective randomized study using a surgical model for adhesion formation. Setting: Clean hamsters in an academic research environment. Animal(s): Sixty-seven female Syrian hamsters. Intervention(s): Hamsters were given a lesion, produced by uterus scraping, and the chymase inhibitor (10 μM) or placebo was injected into the abdomen. Chymase activities in uteri were measured 3 days after the operation, and the scores of adhesion formations were assessed at 2 weeks. Main Outcome Measure(s): Measurement of chymase activity and scoring of adhesion formation were performed. Result(s): A significant increase of chymase activity in the injured uterus reduced by treatment with the chymase inhibitor. The scores of adhesion formations in the chymase inhibitor-treated group were significantly decreased in comparison with those in the placebo-treated group. Conclusion(s): Chymase contained in mast cells plays an important role in adhesion formation, and a chymase inhibitor may be a useful drug for prevention of adhesion formation.