Elastase is a constituent product of T cells

Summary Proteases produced by immune cells have been found to be important components of the immune response to antigen. A protease previously unrecognized as a specific T cell product has been identified which has the gene sequence, serologic crossreactivity, and enzymatic specificity of elastase. T cell elastase, found in combination with the natural elastase inhibitor α 1 -antitrypsin ( α 1 -protease inhibitor, α 1 -PI), is produced by both CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocytes, and is found both in a membrane-bound and in a soluble form in murine T cell lines.