Alpha-1-antitrypsin and alpha-1-antitrypsin-neutrophil elastase complex in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of patients with pulmonary diseases (pilot study).

A simple method based on rocket and crossed immunoelectrophoresis was adapted for detection of alpha 1 AT-HNE complexes in BALF: Agarose gel with anti-alpha 1 AT combined with intermediate gel containing anti-HNE was used for detection and evaluation of the ratio of complexes with HNE to the free form of alpha 1 AT. BALF samples from 31 patients divided into 5 groups suffering from various respiratory tract diseases were tested. It was found that 3 out of 8 patients with inflammatory pulmonary diseases showed the presence of both forms of alpha 1 AT, 7 out of 13 patients suffering from cancer showed both forms, whereas the complexed form was not detected in any of 8 patients with asthma bronchiale. It is suggested that the presence of alpha 1 AT-HNE complex may reflect, to some extent, the proteolytic status of pulmonary tissue.