Studies on thiol proteinase inhibitors in rat peripheral blood cells

Abstract

The concentrations of two types of endogenous thiol proteinase inhibitors, TPI-α and TPI-β, in rat peripheral blood cells were determined by sensitive immunoassay methods. The concentration of TPI-α was highest in neutrophils among the peripheral blood cells tested. On the contrary, the concentration of TPI-β was highest in macrophages followed in order by neutrophils, lymphocytes and erythrocytes. The serum level of TPI-β was 47 times that of TPI-α. Immunohistochemical studies showed that in rat liver, TPI-β was localized in Kupfer cells, and that only little TPI-α was present in liver tissue.