IMMUNOLOGICAL IDENTIFICATION OF ELASTIN-DERIVED PEPTIDES IN THE SERUMS OF DOGS WITH EXPERIMENTAL EMPHYSEMA

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Abstract
Pulmonary emphysema is a disease in which peptides formed by the enzymatic degradation of the amorphous component of interstitial elastin may be released from the lung. To provide a test that can monitor the destruction of lung elastin in vivo, a hemagglutination inhibition assay that specifically and quantitatively measures elastin-derived peptides in sera was developed. Using this method, the concentration of elastin-derived peptides was measured in the sera of dogs developing emphysema through the administration of porcine pancreatic elastase. Elastin-derived peptides could be detected in the sera for 12 days after the administration of a single 25- or 50-mg dose of elastase, and for at least 40 days after a 100-mg dose. There was a good correlation between the maximal concentration of elastin-derived peptides in the sera and the amount of elastase administered to the animal. This immunologic method may be useful in following the progression of experimental emphysema.