HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:
Guest Access | Sign In via User Name/Password

Electronic Letters to:

selected reports: Alan T. Mulgrew, Clifford C. Taggart, Matthew W. Lawless, Catherine M. Greene, Mark L. Brantly, Shane J. O’Neill, and Noel G. McElvaney Z 1-Antitrypsin Polymerizes in the Lung and Acts as a Neutrophil Chemoattractant Chest 2004; 125: 1952-1957 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]

eLetters: Submit a response to this article

Electronic letters published:

Antitrypsin alleles and elastase

Heikki Savolainen   (11 May 2004)

Antitrypsin alleles and elastase 11 May 2004
Heikki Savolainen, professor Dept. of Occup.Safety & Hlth., Ministry of Social Affairs & Health, Tampere, Finland Send letter to journal: Re: Antitrypsin alleles and elastase heikki.savolainen{at}stm.fi Heikki Savolainen	To the editor: I have read with the greatest interest the article on the polymerization of the Z allele of the antitrypsin in the lungs. While probably operative in the clinical setting the leukocyte elastase content seems to be regulated also by the circulating antitrypsin phenotype. Only free elastase (not its antitrypin complex or antitrypsin itself) is retaken up by leukocytes which in turn decreases the elastase synthesis in the cells. Thus, low antitrypsin activity is associated with less elastase in the polymorphonuclear cells in the absence of inflammation. This balance is lost in inflammation so that the elastase overwhelms the antitrypsin counter (1) 1. Savolainen H, Berode M: Human leucocyte leastase and serum alpha-1 antitrypsin. Res Commun Chem Pathol Pharmacol 62 (1988) 519-522.