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Uptake of immunoreactive leukocyte elastase-inhibitor complexes in macrophage-like cells in abscesses
M Delshammar1, A Lasson, K Ohlsson
1Department of Surgery, University of Lund, Malmö General Hospital, Sweden.
Leukocyte elastase was demonstrated immunohistochemically not only in PMN-leukocytes in subcutaneous abscesses but also in scattered macrophage-like cells which in addition contained immunoreactive alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor (alpha 1PI) and alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M). These cells were located mainly in the marginal region of the abscess. It is concluded that the intracellular deposits in the macrophage-like cells represent phagocytized elastase and/or elastase-alpha 1PI and elastase-alpha 2M complexes. A contributing, local production of the inhibitor is, however, not excluded by the present findings.
Leukocyte elastase was demonstrated immunohistochemically not only in PMN-leukocytes in subcutaneous abscesses but also in scattered macrophage-like cells which in addition contained immunoreactive alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor (alpha 1PI) and alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M). These cells were located mainly in the marginal region of the abscess. It is concluded that the intracellular deposits in the macrophage-like cells represent phagocytized elastase and/or elastase-alpha 1PI and elastase-alpha 2M complexes. A contributing, local production of the inhibitor is, however, not excluded by the present findings.