ALPHA-1-ANTICHYMOTRYPSIN IN INFECTED AND NONINFECTED SPUTUM

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
.alpha.1-Antichymotrypsin is a proteolytic enzyme inhibitor, important for protecting tissues from proteolytic damage. Concentrations in the bronchial secretions might be important in relation to the infective process. The protein was studied quantitatively and qualitatively in sputum from patients with bronchitis. In noninfected sputum the concentration of .alpha.1-antichymotrypsin relative to protein albumin was 6.48 times higher than that in the serum, suggesting that local mechanisms exist to concentrate or produce this protein. In the presence of acute infections, increased protein transudation from the serum occurred. Although the absolute concentration of .alpha.1-antichymotrypsin increased in the sputum, its concentration relative to albumin decreased to 2.09 times that in the serum. Two-dimensional electrophoretic studies of sputum .alpha.1-antichymotrypsin showed varying proportions present as complex, even in the noninfected samples. The electrophoretic mobility of the uncomplexes .alpha.1-antichymotrypsin was generally the same as that of serum .alpha.1-antichymotrypsin.

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: