Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Protease inhibitors and their relation to protease activity in human milk

Lindberg, Tor ; Ohlsson, Kjell and Weström, Björn LU (1982) In Pediatric Research 16(6). p.479-483
Abstract

Protease inhibitors and protease (caseinolytic, elastinolytic and esterolytic) activity were analysed in 190 milk samples from 94 mothers from day 1 to day 160 after delivery The main protease inhibitors in human milk are α1-antichymotrypsin and α1-antitrypsin. As measured by electroimmunoassay, the level of α1-antichy-motrypsin in day 1 colostrum was higher than that in normal serum. Trace amounts of inter-α-trypsin inhibitor, α2-antiplasmin, α2-macroglobulin, antithrombin III, or antileukoprotease could be demonstrated. According to their protease inhibiting activity, the 53 milk samples from day 1-3 could be divided into two groups. (1) Presence of protease inhibiting activity (n... (More)

Protease inhibitors and protease (caseinolytic, elastinolytic and esterolytic) activity were analysed in 190 milk samples from 94 mothers from day 1 to day 160 after delivery The main protease inhibitors in human milk are α1-antichymotrypsin and α1-antitrypsin. As measured by electroimmunoassay, the level of α1-antichy-motrypsin in day 1 colostrum was higher than that in normal serum. Trace amounts of inter-α-trypsin inhibitor, α2-antiplasmin, α2-macroglobulin, antithrombin III, or antileukoprotease could be demonstrated. According to their protease inhibiting activity, the 53 milk samples from day 1-3 could be divided into two groups. (1) Presence of protease inhibiting activity (n = 35). Both α1-antitrypsin and α1-antichymotrypsin appeared intact and were able to form complexes with added trypsin or chymotrypsin although the major part of α1-antichymotrypsin showed a retarded electrophoretic mobility. The proteolytic activity was undetectable or low in these samples. (2) No protease inhibiting activity, in spite of the presence of immunoreactive inhibitors (n = 18). α1-Antichymo- trypsin had a precipitate pattern similar to group 1, whereas α1-antitrypsin had a major fraction with slightly retarded mobility and two minor peaks in the α-1and β-regions. These precipitate patterns were unchanged on addition of human trypsin or chymotrypsin compatible with the presence of nonreactive inhibitor only. These samples had a caseinolytic and esterolytic activity with an electrophoretic mobility in the β-region. All samples from day 4 and later had a demonstrable protease inhibiting activity. Speculation: About two-thirds of colostral milk samples have a protease inhibiting activity, Le., can inhibit proteolytic enzymes present in or added to human colostrum. One-third has no protease inhibiting activity, and possess free protease activtiy. These different prop-erties of human colostrum may cause differences in the absorption of proteins in newborn infants.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Pediatric Research
volume
16
issue
6
pages
5 pages
publisher
International Pediatric Foundation Inc.
external identifiers
  • pmid:7048231
  • scopus:0020072841
ISSN
0031-3998
DOI
10.1203/00006450-198206000-00016
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e65060d7-c951-45e7-85f7-07ca5dd46454
date added to LUP
2024-12-05 15:37:42
date last changed
2025-07-04 22:30:29
@article{e65060d7-c951-45e7-85f7-07ca5dd46454,
  abstract     = {{<p>Protease inhibitors and protease (caseinolytic, elastinolytic and esterolytic) activity were analysed in 190 milk samples from 94 mothers from day 1 to day 160 after delivery The main protease inhibitors in human milk are α<sub>1</sub>-antichymotrypsin and α<sub>1</sub>-antitrypsin. As measured by electroimmunoassay, the level of α<sub>1</sub>-antichy-motrypsin in day 1 colostrum was higher than that in normal serum. Trace amounts of inter-α-trypsin inhibitor, α<sub>2</sub>-antiplasmin, α<sub>2</sub>-macroglobulin, antithrombin III, or antileukoprotease could be demonstrated. According to their protease inhibiting activity, the 53 milk samples from day 1-3 could be divided into two groups. (1) Presence of protease inhibiting activity (n = 35). Both α<sub>1</sub>-antitrypsin and α<sub>1</sub>-antichymotrypsin appeared intact and were able to form complexes with added trypsin or chymotrypsin although the major part of α<sub>1</sub>-antichymotrypsin showed a retarded electrophoretic mobility. The proteolytic activity was undetectable or low in these samples. (2) No protease inhibiting activity, in spite of the presence of immunoreactive inhibitors (n = 18). α<sub>1</sub>-Antichymo- trypsin had a precipitate pattern similar to group 1, whereas α<sub>1</sub>-antitrypsin had a major fraction with slightly retarded mobility and two minor peaks in the α-<sub>1</sub>and β-regions. These precipitate patterns were unchanged on addition of human trypsin or chymotrypsin compatible with the presence of nonreactive inhibitor only. These samples had a caseinolytic and esterolytic activity with an electrophoretic mobility in the β-region. All samples from day 4 and later had a demonstrable protease inhibiting activity. Speculation: About two-thirds of colostral milk samples have a protease inhibiting activity, Le., can inhibit proteolytic enzymes present in or added to human colostrum. One-third has no protease inhibiting activity, and possess free protease activtiy. These different prop-erties of human colostrum may cause differences in the absorption of proteins in newborn infants.</p>}},
  author       = {{Lindberg, Tor and Ohlsson, Kjell and Weström, Björn}},
  issn         = {{0031-3998}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{479--483}},
  publisher    = {{International Pediatric Foundation Inc.}},
  series       = {{Pediatric Research}},
  title        = {{Protease inhibitors and their relation to protease activity in human milk}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198206000-00016}},
  doi          = {{10.1203/00006450-198206000-00016}},
  volume       = {{16}},
  year         = {{1982}},
}