| 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. |
