GM Tremblay, JM Sallenave, E Israel-Assayag, Y Cormier and J Gauldie
Department of Pathology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Secretory leukocyte proteinase inhibitor (SLPI) and alpha1-proteinase inhibitor (alpha1(PI)) cannot fully explain the total neutrophil elastase (NE) inhibitory capacity detected in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, suggesting the existence of other NE inhibitor(s). In the present study, we measured the concentrations of elafin, a newly described, low-molecular-weight serine proteinase inhibitor, SLPI, and alpha1(PI) in BAL fluids from eight healthy subjects, 13 asymptomatic farmers, seven farmers with active farmer's lung (FL), and seven farmers with previous (Ex) FL. In addition to SLPI and alpha1(PI), elafin was present in BAL fluids from control subjects and asymptomatic farmers, 13 (7-31) and 12 (7-67) mmol/mol of albumin (median and range) respectively. Elafin concentration increased significantly to 105 (38- 207) mmol/mol of albumin in farmers with active FL and was also elevated in farmers with Ex FL. Elafin levels were highly correlated with lung inflammatory cell numbers, especially lymphocytes, and the decrease in single-breath diffusion capacity (DLCO). Elafin and SLPI were linked to yet uncharacterized proteins in BAL fluids. In conclusion, elafin is a constituent of BAL fluid from normal subjects and is found in enhanced concentrations in FL and in farmers with lymphocytic alveolitis. This suggests that elafin may play a role in lung homeostasis and inflammation.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Z. Wang, D. Beach, L. Su, R. Zhai, and D. C. Christiani A Genome-Wide Expression Analysis in Blood Identifies Pre-Elafin as a Biomarker in ARDS Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol., June 1, 2008; 38(6): 724 - 732. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Korkmaz, P. Poutrain, E. Hazouard, M. de Monte, S. Attucci, and F. L. Gauthier Competition between Elastase and Related Proteases from Human Neutrophil for Binding to {alpha}1-Protease Inhibitor Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol., June 1, 2005; 32(6): 553 - 559. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. W. McMichael, A. Roghanian, L. Jiang, R. Ramage, and J.-M. Sallenave The Antimicrobial Antiproteinase Elafin Binds to Lipopolysaccharide and Modulates Macrophage Responses Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol., May 1, 2005; 32(5): 443 - 452. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. I. Brown, R. Mistry, D. D. Collie, S. Tate, and J.-M. Sallenave Trappin ovine molecule (TOM), the ovine ortholog of elafin, is an acute phase reactant in the lung Physiol Genomics, September 16, 2004; 19(1): 11 - 21. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. M. Tremblay, E. Vachon, C. Larouche, and Y. Bourbonnais Inhibition of Human Neutrophil Elastase-Induced Acute Lung Injury in Hamsters by Recombinant Human Pre-elafin (Trappin-2) Chest, February 1, 2002; 121(2): 582 - 588. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Bingle, T. D. Tetley, and C. D. Bingle Cytokine-Mediated Induction of the Human Elafin Gene in Pulmonary Epithelial Cells Is Regulated by Nuclear Factor-kappa B Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol., July 1, 2001; 25(1): 84 - 91. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Q.-L. Ying and S. R. Simon Kinetics of the Inhibition of Proteinase 3 by Elafin Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol., January 1, 2001; 24(1): 83 - 89. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				G. M. Tremblay, A. M. Wolbink, Y. Cormier, and C. E. Hack Granzyme Activity in the Inflamed Lung Is Not Controlled by Endogenous Serine Proteinase Inhibitors J. Immunol., October 1, 2000; 165(7): 3966 - 3969. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. van Wetering, A. C. van der Linden, M. A. J. A. van Sterkenburg, W. I. de Boer, A. L. A. Kuijpers, J. Schalkwijk, and P. S. Hiemstra Regulation of SLPI and elafin release from bronchial epithelial cells by neutrophil defensins Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, January 1, 2000; 278(1): L51 - L58. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]