Purified Versus Plasma Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Effects on Cellular Activities

By adding purified exogenous alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) to peripheral blood mononuclear cells in 20% autologous serum and measuring AAT-induced cellular adherence, it was determined that purified AAT differs from plasma AAT. The known association of AAT with lipoproteins and the negative feedback between AAT and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) suggest that purification may separate AAT from a plasma component such as LDL that participates in their normal plasma functions.