Increased extracellular proteolysis because of unregulated activation of blood coagulation, complement, and fibrinolysis is observed in thrombosis, shock, and inflammation. In the present study, we have examined whether the plasma kallikrein-kinin system, the classical pathway of complement, and the fibrinolytic system could be inhibited by alpha 1-antitrypsin reactive site mutants. Wild-type a...

Associations have been found between self-reported cold symptoms and Pi type in 84 pairs of identical twins. The risk of cold symptoms relative to MM phenotypes was 1.2 times greater in MS and 2.5 times greater in MZ individuals. Up to 9% of variance in cold symptoms could be attributed to Pi type, representing at least 20% of the total genetical variance.

Alpha-1-antitrypsin is the most abundant circulating protease inhibitor. It is mainly produced by the liver and secreted into the circulation where it acts to prevent excessive proteolytic damage in the lungs by the enzyme neutrophil elastase. The most common severe deficiency allele is the Z mutation, which causes the protein to self-associate into ordered polymers. These polymers accumulate w...