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Reduced capacity to inhibit elastase in abdominal aortic aneurysm
S K Rao1, M Mathrubutham, D Sherman
1Department of Surgery, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Long Island Campus for the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New Hyde Park, New York, 11042, USA. rao@lij.edu
The Journal of Surgical Research
|March 9, 1999
Summary
Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) patients show reduced plasma inhibitory capacity against elastase, indicating a protease-antiprotease imbalance. This finding may help develop new monitoring tools for AAA.
Area of Science:
- Vascular Biology
- Biochemistry
- Protease Inhibitors
Background:
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is associated with elastin loss in the aortic wall.
- A protease-antiprotease system imbalance is implicated in connective tissue degradation in AAA.
- This study investigates plasma's elastase inhibitory capacity in AAA patients versus controls.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the elastase inhibitory capacity of plasma from AAA patients and normal controls.
- To determine if plasma elastase levels differ between AAA patients and healthy individuals.
Main Methods:
- An elastase inhibition assay was developed and used with plasma from 14 AAA patients and 13 controls.
- Succinyl-elastin substrate and porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE) were used to measure elastase activity.
- Plasma elastase levels were quantified using a commercial kit.
Main Results:
- AAA patient plasma exhibited significantly higher relative exogenous elastase activity (42.59%) compared to control plasma (10.23%) (P < 0.0001).
- No significant difference in plasma elastase levels (microgram/L) was observed between normal and AAA patient groups (P = 0.359).
Conclusions:
- AAA patients have a markedly reduced plasma capacity to inhibit elastase.
- The findings support the hypothesis of a protease-antiprotease imbalance in AAA.
- This reduced inhibitory capacity could potentially serve as a measurable biomarker for AAA monitoring.