title: Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency: accumulation or degradation of mutant variants within the hepatic endoplasmic reticulum.
abstract: Recent molecular and biochemical analyses of several alpha-1-antitrypsin variants suggest that the severe deficiency or complete absence of this protease inhibitor from serum results predominantly from the retention of mutant variants within the hepatic endoplasmic reticulum where they can accumulate or undergo intracellular degradation. Additional studies have demonstrated that the accumulation of the insoluble PiZ variant within this subcellular compartment acts as an etiologic agent for the development of liver disease in transgenic mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030.
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Sifers
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Finegold
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Woo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019896:alpha 1-Antitrypsin Deficiency
chemical_list: D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin