- The endogenous vascular elastase that governs development and progression of monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension in rats is a novel enzyme related to the serine proteinase adipsin. Zhu, L., Wigle, D., Hinek, A., Kobayashi, J., Ye, C., Zuker, M., Dodo, H., Keeley, F.W., Rabinovitch, M. J. Clin. Invest. (1994)