1. Alpha-1-Antichymotrypsin in Renal Biopsies
- Author
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P A Conz, P A Bevilacqua, Mariano Feriani, C. Ronco, S. Meli, Alessandra Brendolan, G. Pietribiasi, G. La Greca, and Roberto Dell'Aquila
- Subjects
Pathology ,medicine.medical_specialty ,alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin ,Renal glomerulus ,Biopsy ,Kidney Glomerulus ,Alpha (ethology) ,Monocytes ,Alpha 1-antichymotrypsin ,Nephropathy ,medicine ,Humans ,Kidney ,biology ,medicine.diagnostic_test ,business.industry ,Macrophages ,Proteolytic enzymes ,medicine.disease ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,alpha 1-Antitrypsin ,biology.protein ,Immunohistochemistry ,Kidney Diseases ,Renal biopsy ,business ,Biomarkers - Abstract
Alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin (alpha 1-AK) and alpha-1-antitrypsin (alpha 1-AT) represent a defense mechanism to protect the tissues from proteolytic enzyme activity. We studied the implication of alpha 1-AK and alpha 1-AT in glomeruli of patients with different nephropathies based on the analysis of 52 paraffin-embedded renal biopsies with alpha 1-AK and alpha 1-AT antisera. The results demonstrate an intense alpha 1-AK glomerular staining in renal biopsies from patients with minimal-change disease, while a minor staining of this protein was found in the other nephropathies. No significant evidence of alpha 1-AT deposits was observed in our cases. Our findings suggest that when alpha 1-AK is lacking in glomeruli the defense mechanisms against proteolytic enzymes may not be efficient enough to protect the glomerular structures and limit the damage. Since alpha 1-AK is a reactant of the acute phase of inflammation, it may be considered as a marker of activity for monocyte-macrophages in glomerular damage.
- Published
- 1990