BOWMAN-BIRK SOYBEAN INHIBITOR AS AN AFFINITY LIGAND FOR ISOLATION OF LEUKOCYTE ELASTASE - INHIBITION OF LEUKOCYTE ELASTASE-MEDIATED ELASTICHYDROLYSIS

A single-step method is proposed for isolation of elastase from human leukocytes using an affinity sorbent based on a soybean protein Bowman -Birk protease inhibitor. The leukocyte elastase was purified 70-fold with 70-100% yield The final preparations were free of cathepsin G and had high specific activities. The Bowman-Birk soybean inhibitor was a ctive in suppressing the hydrolysis of elastin by leukocyte elastase w hen the enzyme and the inhibitor were directly added to the substrate and when elastase had been preadsorbed on elastin. The inhibitory effe ct did not change with progressing elastin hydrolysis.