Adjuvant-induced inflammatory disease in the rat: plasma levels of peptide hydrolases and protease inhibitors reflect disease activity.

Both during the primary (localized) inflammation and the development of the secondary (generalized) inflammation in adjuvant-treated rats, the plasma level of functional alpha-macroglobulins increases while proteases (measured as peptide hydrolases) sharply decrease. The decreased peptide hydrolase levels during episodes when protease 'spillage' into the bloodstream is elevated, suggests a more rapid clearance of alpha-macroglobulin-protease complexes associated with inflammation.