Alpha-l-antitrypsin-Pittsburgh is a human variant that resulted from a point mutation in the plasma protease inhibitor, a,-antitrypsin (358 Met Arg). This defect in the a,-antitrypsin molecule causes it to have greatly diminished anti-elastase activity but markedly increased antithrombin activity. In this report, we demonstrate that this variant protein also has greatly increased inhibitory act...

Alpha-1-antitrypsin-Pittsburgh is a human variant that resulted from a point mutation in the plasma protease inhibitor, alpha 1-antitrypsin (358 Met----Arg). This defect in the alpha 1-antitrypsin molecule causes it to have greatly diminished anti-elastase activity but markedly increased antithrombin activity. In this report, we demonstrate that this variant protein also has greatly increased i...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency is an underdiagnosed condition in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Diagnosis of this genetic condition is confirmed by genetic verification of pathology, but for screening purposes quantitative methods can be useful. The aim of our study was to evaluate sensitivity and specificity of quantitative methods for alpha-1 ant...