種々の結核病巣のTissue Angiotensin-Converting Enzyrne活性

抄録

Since serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (S-ACE) has been reported to be elevated in sarcoidosis and other granulomatous diseases but normal in pulmonary tuberculosis, tissue angiotensin-converting enzyme (T-ACE) activity in tuberculous lesions obtained by operation and biopsy (pulmonary lesion, cervical lymph node and pleural specimen) was studied by ACE substrate film method.
Consequently, TACE activity in tuberculous lesions was clarified to be seen in the area of epithelioid cells but not in caseous necrotic center of the granulomas.
This result suggests that T-ACE is no value in distinguishing tuberculous epithelioid cells from sarcoid epithelioid cells. It is important that why discrepancy between S ACE level and T-ACE activity is developed in tuberculosis in contrast to sarcoidosis.