MATCHED-PAIR STUDY OF THE LEUKOCYTE ELASTASE-LIKE ACTIVITY IN NORMAL PERSONS AND IN EMPHYSEMATOUS PATIENTS WITH AND WITHOUT ALPHA1-ANTITRYPSIN DEFICIENCY

Abstract

The elastase-like activities in whole cell extracts of neutrophilic polymorphonuclear leukocytes of 10 emphysematous patients with .alpha.1-antitrypsin deficiency (PiZ) and of 7 subjects with .alpha.1-antitrypsin deficiency (PiZ or PiSZ) without emphysema were the same as the activities of healthy nondeficient subjects (PiMM) matched according to age, sex and smoking history. In 16 emphysematous patients without .alpha.1-antitrypsin deficiency (PiMM), the leukocyte elastase-like activity tended to be higher than that of normal control subjects. In persons with .alpha.1-antitrypsin deficiency the leukocyte elastase-like activity is not a deciding factor in the development of emphysema. In persons without .alpha.1-antitrypsin deficiency, the leukocyte elastase-like activity may be a contributing factor in the development of this disease. Variations in specific anti-leukocyte-elastase-like activity of .alpha.1-antitrypsin, which might play a role in the pathogenesis of emphysema, were not found.