title: Effect of human alpha-antitrypsin in papain-induced emphysema in the hamster.
abstract: The possibility that human alpha1-antitrypsin could effectively prevent development of emphysematous lesions produced in hamsters 7 days after exposure to aerosolized papain (3% for 3 hours) was investigated. Pretreatment with intratracheal human alpha1-antitrypsin prevented the appearance of these lesions in a dose-dependent manner. On the other hand, systemic administration of large doses of human alpha1-antitrypsin failed to prevent papain-induced pulmonary lesions, despite a significant increase in serum trypsin inhibitory capacity. These results suggest that intra-alveolar rather than serum concentrations of human alpha1-antitrypsin are critical for preventing the development of pulmonary emphysema in this animal model. It is interesting that although the mechanism by which human alpha1-antitrypsin prevented the papain-induced lesions is unknown, intratracheally administered human alpha1-antitrypsin similarly prevented the development of pulmonary emphysematous lesions induced by 0.1 mg of porcine pancreatic elastase given intratracheally.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase; D010206:Papain; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014132:Trachea; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase; D010206:Papain