Identification and characterisation of the major antiproteases in equine serum and an investigation of their role in the onset of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Abstract: Three major antiprotease components in equine serum were identified and characterised. These were the acidic prealbumin Pr, the homologue of human alpha-1 antitrypsin and 2 protease binding proteins, the acidic prealbumin Xc and alpha-2 macroglobulin, both capable of inhibiting the proteolytic activity of trypsin, but with only limited inhibitory effect on its esterolytic activity. The possible role of these serum antiproteases in the onset of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), analogous to the hereditary dysproteinaemia of alpha-1 antitrypsin in man, was investigated. There was no evidence of a genetically determined variation in the protease binding proteins but an increased frequency of the electrophoretically slower Pr antitrypsin alleles was present in horses affected with COPD. However, because of both the mixed breeding of the animals investigated and the lack of correlation with low serum trypsin inhibitory capacity, measured by inhibition of DL-BAPA hydrolysis, the significance of this observation could not be critically assessed.
Publication Date: 1979-07-01 PubMed ID: 90612DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1979.tb01336.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research article investigates the role of certain antiprotease components in horse serum in the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It found some correlation between one type of antiprotease and COPD, but the results were inconclusive.
Identification of Antiproteases in Equine Serum
- The researchers identified three major antiprotease components within equine (horse) serum – the acidic prealbumin Pr, a homologue of human alpha-1 antitrypsin, and two proteins able to bind to protease, named acidic prealbumin Xc and alpha-2 macroglobulin.
- These antiproteases help in inhibiting proteolytic activity of trypsin, a type of enzyme. However, they had only limited effect on trypsin’s esterolytic activity, which involves breaking down of esters to form alcohol and acid.
Linking Antiproteases with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- The researchers investigated whether these antiproteases play any role in the onset of COPD in horses. This was compared to how the deficiency of alpha-1 antitrypsin, a type of protein that protects the lungs, can lead to COPD in humans due to genetic disorders.
- They found no evidence of a genetically determined variation in the protease binding proteins. However, they observed an increased frequency of electrophoretically slower Pr antitrypsin alleles (variations of a gene) in horses with COPD.
Limitations and Conclusions
- Despite the correlation found between the Pr antitrypsin alleles and COPD, the researchers could not critically assess the significance of this link due to several factors.
- The horses studied were of mixed breed, making it harder to pinpoint any genetic links. Furthermore, the researchers found no correlation between low trypsin inhibitory capacity in the horse serum and the presence of COPD. This inhibitory capacity was measured by inhibition of DL-BAPA hydrolysis, a specific chemical reaction involving trypsin.
- Therefore, while some correlation was found, the results remained inconclusive, suggesting the need for further studies to better understand the potential relationship between these antiproteases and COPD.
Cite This Article
APA
Matthews AG.
(1979).
Identification and characterisation of the major antiproteases in equine serum and an investigation of their role in the onset of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Equine Vet J, 11(3), 177-182.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1979.tb01336.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
MeSH Terms
- Alleles
- Animals
- Electrophoresis, Agar Gel
- Gene Frequency
- Horse Diseases / blood
- Horse Diseases / genetics
- Horses
- Isoelectric Focusing
- Lung Diseases, Obstructive / blood
- Lung Diseases, Obstructive / genetics
- Lung Diseases, Obstructive / veterinary
- Prealbumin / isolation & purification
- Protease Inhibitors / blood
- alpha 1-Antitrypsin / isolation & purification
- alpha-Macroglobulins / isolation & purification
Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- da Silva AC, Brass KE, da Silva Loreto E, Vinocur ME, Pozzobon R, da Silva Azevedo M. Spi2 gene polymorphism is not associated with recurrent airway obstruction and inflammatory airway disease in thoroughbred horses. Genet Mol Biol 2011 Jul;34(3):456-8.
- Ek N, Braend M. Quantitative comparisons of acidic prealbumin (PR) phenotypes in horses. Acta Vet Scand 1980;21(3):380-8.
- Keay G, Doxey DL. A study of the interaction between bromocresol green dye and bovine, ovine and equine serum globulins. Vet Res Commun 1984 Feb;8(1):25-32.
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