title: Investigation of the effects of oral administration of ascorbate on the functional activity of serum alpha-1-protease inhibitor and oxidant release by blood phagocytes from cigarette smokers in a placebo-controlled, doubleblind, crossover trial.
abstract: The effects of oral administration of ascorbate (3 grams daily for 14 days) on the elastase inhibitory capacity (EIC) of serum alpha-1-protease inhibitor (API) and on the profile of leukoattractant (FMLP) activated luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence (LECL) responses of blood from 29 cigarette smokers were investigated in a placebo-controlled, doubleblind crossover trial. Relative to non-smokers the EIC's of serum API from cigarette smokers showed no detectable functional inactivation. However the blood LECL responses were significantly greater in smokers than in non-smokers (p less than 0.005). Serum EIC activity remained unchanged during the administration of ascorbate to cigarette smokers. However the early-occurring extracellular LECL responses of FMLP-activated blood from cigarette smokers declined significantly during intake of ascorbate by the 29 cigarette smokers. These inhibitory effects of ascorbate on the extracellular LECL responses were highly significant (p less than 0.005) in smokers (15/29) with elevated (1 X SD higher than the mean value for non-smokers) extracellular LECL responses, whilst the corresponding values in smokers with normal LECL responses remained unchanged during ascorbate administration. These results show that measurement of serum EIC capacity in the setting of normal API levels is of no value in the detection of smokers at high-risk for the development of smoking-related diseases or in the measurement of the potential protective activity of anti-oxidant supplementation. However, measurement of FMLP-activated LECL responses of whole blood may be useful in achieving these objectives.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Republic of South Africa.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Theron
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008297:Male; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000097:blood*; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood*; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin; D001205:Ascorbic Acid