Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Activation of human leukocyte elastase by human α2-macroglobulin

Nature volume 267, pages 61–63 (1977)Cite this article

Abstract

PROTEOLYSIS and its biological control in the pathogenesis of disease states involving inflammation and tissue injury have become areas of intensive study1,2. Because of their probable involvement in the pathogenesis of emphysema, the elastolytic enzymes derived from neutrophils have received particular attention3–6. Among the principal protease inhibitors in blood, α1 antitrypsin (α1-AT) serves as the main inhibitor controlling the activity of elastase and other serine proteinases, whereas α2-macroglobulin (α2-M) is believed to function primarily as a means of removing elastase and other proteinases from the circulatory system via the reticuloendothelial system7,8. During studies of the interaction of various inhibitors with elastase isolated from purulent sputum9, it was noted that the activity of this enzyme towards certain synthetic substrates was markedly enhanced in the presence of α2-M. We present here a study of this activation. It is possible that activation of elastase by α2-M may be of physiological significance, particularly under those conditions where a deficiency of antitrypsin is known to be a predisposing factor towards chronic obstructive pulmonary disease10.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Fritz, H., Tschesche, H., Greene, L. J. & Truscheit, E. (eds) Proteinase Inhibitors, Baeyer Symposium V, (Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1974).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Reich, E., Rifkin, D. B. & Shaw, E. (eds) Proteases and Biological Control, Cold Spring Harb. Con. Cell Proliferation 2, (1975).

  3. Ohlsson, K. & Olsson, I. Eur. J. Biochem. 42, 519–527 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Taylor, J. C. & Crawford, I. P. Archs Biochem. Biophys. 169, 91–101 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Feinstein, G. & Janoff, A. Biochim. biophys. Acta 403, 493–505 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Baugh, R. J. & Travis, J. Biochemistry 15, 836–841 (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Ohlsson, K. Scand. J. clin. lab. Invest. 28, 13–19 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Ohlsson, K. & Laurell, C. B. Clin. Sci. molec. Biol. 51, 87–92 (1976).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Twumasi, D. Y. & Liener, I. E. J. biol Chem. (in the press).

  10. Kueppers, F. & Black, L. F. Am. Rev. Resp. Dis. 110, 176–194 (1974).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Harpel, J. C. J. exp. Med. 138, 508–521 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Roberts, R. C., Riesen, W. A. & Hall, P. K. in Proteinase Inhibitors (eds Fritz, H., Tschesche, H., Greene, L. J. & Truscheit, E.) 63–71, Baeyer Symposium V (Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1974).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  13. Bieth, J., Spiess, B. & Wermuth, C. G. Biochem. Med. 11, 350–357 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Feinstein, G., Kupfer, A. & Sokolovsky, M. Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 50, 1020–1026 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Visser, L. & Blout, E. R. Biochim. biophys. Acta 268, 257–260 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Bieth, J. & Meyer, J.-F. Analyt. Biochem. 51, 121–126 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Barrett, A. J. & Starkey, P. M. Biochem. J. 133, 709–724 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Gentou, C., Yon, J. & Filitti-Wurmser, S. Bull. Soc. Chim. biol. 50, 2003–2022 (1968).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Rinderknecht, H., Carmack, C. & Geokas, M. C. Immunochemistry 12, 1–10 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Bieth, J., Pichoir, M. & Métais, P. FEBS Lett. 8, 319–321 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Nakamura, S., Ogata, H., Takeo, K., Kwuahara, A. & Suzuno Hoppe-Seyler's Z. physiol. Chem. 356, 677–692 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Jacquot-Armand, Y. & Krebs, G. Biochim. biophys. Acta 303, 128–137 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Meyer, J.-F., Bieth, J. & Métais, P. Clin. chim. Acta 62, 43–53 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Ross, R. & Bornstein, P. Scient Am. 224, 44–52 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Rinderknecht, H., Geokas, M. C., Silverman, P., Lillard, Y. & Haverback, B. J. Clin. chim. Acta 19, 327–339 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Eriksson, S. Acta med. scand. 177, Suppl. 432, 5–85 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota, St Paul, Minnesota, 55108

    DANIEL Y. TWUMASI & IRVIN E. LIENER

  2. Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, New York University Medical Center, New York, New York, 10016

    MORTON GALDSTON & VERA LEVYTSKA

Authors
  1. DANIEL Y. TWUMASI
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. IRVIN E. LIENER
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. MORTON GALDSTON
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. VERA LEVYTSKA
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

TWUMASI, D., LIENER, I., GALDSTON, M. et al. Activation of human leukocyte elastase by human α2-macroglobulin. Nature 267, 61–63 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/267061a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/267061a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing