Enzymes and Antienzymes of the Blood Serum, ioi 



power of the serum to inhibit the autolysis of fresh liver tissue. 

 The inhibiting action of serum of animals receiving chloroform 

 when tested with normal liver or with liver of poisoned animals 

 does not differ from that of serum obtained from normal animals. 



It is noteworthy that fresh liver tissue autolyses with consider- 

 able activity in acid but is almost entirely inactive in alkali ; liver 

 treated for a time with acid acquires the ability to digest, like 

 trypsin, in weak alkali. In order to test by a convenient method 

 the ability of serum of animals receiving chloroform to inhibit an 

 enzyme which digests in the presence of alkali the enzyme of 

 polynuclear leucocytes was employed. A progressive increase of 

 the anti-enzymotic action of blood serum has been found after 

 administration of chloroform. The following experiment will 

 represent many which have been performed. 



The proteolysis caused by 20 mgr. of leucoprotease acting during five days at 37 0 

 C. is represented by 17.25 c.c. N/10 H 2 S0 4 . The figures obtained on different days 

 with the same enzyme plus 0.5 c.c. of blood serum from an animal receiving chloroform 

 daily are as follows : 



1st Day. 4th Day. 7th Day. 10th Day. 



13.75 c.c. 12.45 c.c. 5.25 c.c. 2.9 c.c. 



Jochmann and Kantorowicz have shown that the anti-enzyme 

 of blood serum is not specific for either trypsin or enzyme of 

 leucocytes, for serum which exerts increased inhibition upon one 

 has a parallel action upon the other. A series of comparative 

 tests indicate that the serum which, as the result of chloro- 

 form poisoning exhibits increased power to inhibit the action of 

 leucoprotease, exhibits a parallel increase of its power to inhibit 

 the action of that enzyme of the liver which after treatment with 

 acid digests in the presence of alkali. 



The parallel between the enzymes and anti-enzymes which 

 have been mentioned is indicated in the following scheme : 



Enzymes in Liver. Enzymes of Serum. Anti-action of Serum. 



1. Digesting in acid. I. Digesting in acid. I. Alkaline reaction. 



Increased by chloroform. 



2. Digesting in alkali 2. Digesting in alkali 2. Antienzyme inhibiting 

 (Made active by treat- (Contained in globulin trypsin, leucopro- 

 ment of fresh liver with fraction and inhibited tease and perhaps en- 

 acid) by antibody of albumin). zyme of liver. 



Increased by chloro- 

 form. 



Chloroform which produces profound degenerative changes in 



