[Practical applications of recombinant alpha-1-antitrypsin in medicine]

Alpha-1-antytripsin deficiency, human plasma protein belonging to serine proteinase inhibitor, is the underlying reason for causing such diseases as liver cirrhosis or pulmonary emphysema. It has been proven that alpha-1-antytripsin deficiency can be treated with replacement therapy of this protein. Because of the risks associated with the administration to patients with deficiency of alpha-1-antytrypsyny protein fractionated from human plasma, the methods of gaining recombinant alpha-1-antytripsin are still being developed. Methods for the production of alpha-1-antytripsin synthesized using transgenic animals can achieve high performance while maintaining a fully functional protein structure. Obtained in this way, alpha-1-antitrypsin gives hope for the use of replacement therapy on a large scale.