title: Smoking does not reduce the functional activity of serum alpha-1-proteinase inhibitor. An epidemiologic study of 719 healthy men.
abstract: The present study was aimed at testing the hypothesis that smoking, the major risk factor for the development of pulmonary emphysema, impairs the functional activity of alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor (alpha 1-antitrypsin). We used a population of 719 apparently healthy subjects. The serum concentrations of immunoreactive and functionally active alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor were measured by radial immunodiffusion and inhibition of porcine pancreatic elastase, respectively. Both the immunoreactive and functionally active levels of serum alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor were found to increase with tobacco consumption, but the ratio between the 2 concentrations was independent of smoking. Smoking does not, therefore, impair the functional activity of alpha1-proteinase inhibitor.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000097:blood; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D006801:Humans; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D012907:Smoking; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin; D002248:Carbon Monoxide