Chymotrypsin-like elastase family member 2A (CELA2A)

Chymotrypsin-like elastase family member 2A (CELA2A) is a pancreatic serine protease enzyme secreted as a zymogen that hydrolyzes proteins, especially elastin, as well as proteins containing leucine, methionine, and phenylalanine residues. Beyond its canonical digestive role, CELA2A circulates in plasma where it modulates postprandial metabolic signaling. It reduces platelet hyperactivation, triggers both insulin secretion and insulin degradation, increases insulin sensitivity, and is implicated in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome and early-onset atherosclerosis when mutated. These diverse effects position CELA2A as an attractive target for therapeutic intervention in metabolic and cardiovascular diseases

Other names

ELA2AElastase-2APancreatic elastase 2Pancreatic elastase IIAPE-1chymotrypsin-like elastase family member 2Aelastase 2AAOMS4CELA2A

Drugs targeting CELA2A would be expected to modulate its protease activity, and thereby influence insulin secretion, insulin degradation, platelet activation, and metabolic homeostasis