Detection of active kallikrein in induced blister fluids of hereditary angioedema patients.

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Abstract
Six suction-induced blister fluids obtained from 5 patients with hereditary angioedema (HAE) contained active kallikrein, whereas only 2 blister fluids obtained from 8 normal volunteers contained small amounts of this activity. Kallikrein was present in large amounts of HAE blister fluids as assessed by its ability to liberate smooth-muscle-contracting activity from purified high MW kininogen. It was inhibited by purified antibodies specific for plasma prekallikrein and also by purified C1 [complement component 1] inhibitor, but not by antibodies specific for C1s. Activation of the Hageman-factor-dependent pathways apparently occurs in the tissues of HAE patients, and once generated, active kallikrein persists in these tissues.