Serum concentrations of alpha-2-macroglobulin and other serum proteinase inhibitors in Thai vegetarians and omnivores

• Published in: Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 14; no. 3; pp. 337 - 345
• Main Authors: Pongpaew, Praneet, Boonyakarnkul, Narumol, Schelp, Frank-P., Changbumrung, Supranee, Supawan, Venus, Tawprasert, Somsak, Migasena, Panata
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.03.1994; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Human physiology applied to population studies and life conditions. Human ecophysiology; Medical sciences; Nutritional survey. Food supply and nutritional requirement; Proteinase inhibitors; Serum proteins; Tropical medicine; Vegetarians; Thailand; Asia; Vegetarians; Serum proteins; Proteinase inhibitors; Human; Proteins; α2-Macroglobulin; Nutrition; Enzyme; Vegetarian diet; Enzyme inhibitor; Hydrolases; Serum; Proteinases; Public health; Feeding
• ISSN: 0271-5317; 1879-0739
• DOI: 10.1016/S0271-5317(05)80172-1

Serum concentrations of albumin, prealbumin together with the serum proteinase inhibitors α 1-acid glycoprotein (α 1GP), α 1-antitrypsin (AT), α 2-macgroglobulin (α 2M), C1 inhibitor (C1) and inter-α-trypsininhibitor (IαT), nutritional anthropometry were determined in 132 vegetarians and 68 omnivores from Thailand. Serum concentrations of prealbumin, α 1GP, AT, C1 and IαT were found to be lower and albumin and α 2M to be higher in vegetarians than in omnivores. The parameters of nutritional anthropometry were lower but still in an acceptable range amongst the vegetarians. In both groups, a negative correlation of a number of anthropometric variables with α 2M was observed. The higher α 2M values in vegetarians compared with omnivores might be due to a mechanism which enables the the body to adjust its requirement to intake by slowing down catabolic rates. Lower C1 concentrations in vegetarians might hypothetically result in a higher risk of asthma and allergy.