AIpha-1-Antitrypsin: The PiM Subtypes and Serum Concentrations in Finnish Newborns

Abstract
Pi phenotypes were classified by isoelectric focusing of the sera of 200 full-term Finnish newborns at the age of 3-5 days. The phenotype PiM was found in 95% of the neonates. The frequencies of the alleles PiM1, PiM2 and PiM3 were 0.682, 0.189 and 0.129, respectively. The serum concentration (mean .+-. SD) of .alpha.-1-antitrypsin (.alpha.1-AT) in the whole study group was 2.72 .+-. 0.61 g/l. The concentration of .alpha.1-AT in the newborns with the phenotype PiM3 (1.79 .+-. 0.65 g/l) was significantly lower (P < 0.025) than in other PiM subtypes. No difference in serum concentrations of .alpha.1-AT between boys (2.78 .+-. 0.66 g/l) and girls (2.66 .+-. 0.55 g/l) was observed.