Systemic and local production of α1-antitrypsin and α1-acid glycoprotein in rheumatoid arthritis in man and adjuvant arthritis in rats GEORGIOS PANTAZIDIS1, ELISAVET KOUZIORTI1, SPYROS ASLANIDIS2, ZAFIRIS POLYMENIDIS3, LYGERI HADJIPETROU-KOUROUNAKIS1 and MINAS YIANGOU1* 1 Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece 2 2nd Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Hippokration General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece 3 Histocompatibility Center and Department of Immunology, Hippokration General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece Abstract We have studied the systemic and local production of α1-antitrypsin (AAT) and α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) in serum and synovial fluid (SF) respectively of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients during both active and inactive phase of disease and this response has been compared to the respective response in adjuvant arthritic (AA) rats. We observed potential differential regulation and activity of AAT and AGP in active RA and similar data observed also in AA rats or in dorsal rat air pouch model suggesting that these animal models may be useful for further studies to understand RA pathogenesis. Elevated serum or synovial fluid AAT levels do not change in active or inactive RA while increased number of AAT positive PMN cells observed in both blood and SF of active RA patients suggesting a potential marker to estimate disease phase. Honey bee venom (HBV) inhibits AA induction and affects local and systemic AAT and AGP production. In the present study, we provide evidence from in vivo experiments in AA rats that AAT may suppress AA induction by exhibiting biological activity independent of inhibition of serine proteases. The potential anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive activity of AAT and AGP in synovial fluid in combination with HBV activity is discussed.   < back .