title: Cigarette smoke inhalation decreases alpha 1-antitrypsin activity in rat lung.
abstract: Brief inhalation exposure of rats to three or six puffs of cigarette smoke significantly decreases elastase inhibitory capacity per milligram of alpha 1-antitrypsin in lung lavage fluid. This effect is not observed in ozone-tolerant rats and can be reversed by treating the lung lavage fluid from smoke-exposed rats with reducing agents. Samples of human serum obtained immediately after smoking also show decreased elastase inhibitory capacity per milligram of alpha 1-antitrypsin. Again, elastase inhibitory capacity can be restored by treatment with a reducing agent. Cigarette smoking may cause emphysema by inactivating alpha 1-antitrypsin through oxidation.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010126:Ozone; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000378:metabolism; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D051381:Rats; D012906:Smoke; D012907:Smoking / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014026:Nicotiana; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012906:Smoke; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin; D010126:Ozone; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase