title: Alpha 2 macroglobulin state in acute pancreatitis. Raised values of alpha 2 macroglobulin-protease complexes in severe and mild attacks.
abstract: Plasma values of C reactive protein, alpha 1 proteinase inhibitor, alpha 2 macroglobulin, and complexed alpha 2 macroglobulin have been determined in serial samples from 27 patients with acute pancreatitis. Complexed alpha 2 macroglobulin was measured by a novel enzyme linked immunosorbent assay with a monoclonal antibody specific for the complexed form. Patients with severe illness had lower concentrations of total alpha 2 macroglobulin and higher concentrations of complexed alpha 2 macroglobulin than those with mild illness, and in the majority of severe attacks the abnormal amounts of complexed alpha 2 macroglobulin were present throughout the eight days of the study. The proportion of total alpha 2 macroglobulin in the uncomplexed form, however, was generally greater than 90%, and in 26% of the mild cases completely normal concentrations of uncomplexed alpha 2 macroglobulin (greater than 99% of total) were found throughout the eight days of the study. This suggests that exhaustion of alpha 2 macroglobulin in plasma is unlikely to be a major factor in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, University of Leeds.
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Banks
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Van Leuven
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Whicher
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: McMahon
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000097:blood*; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin / Q000032:analysis; D000511:alpha-Macroglobulins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin; D000511:alpha-Macroglobulins; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D010450:Endopeptidases