The proteolytic proenzymes in the peritoneal exudate during acute experimental pancreatitis of the rat.

Precursors of proteolytic enzymes were demonstrated in the peritoneal inflammatory exudate during acute experimental pancreatitis of the rat. This was done by separating the proteinase inhibitors and proenzymes by gel filtration on Sephadex G-200. After elution the proenzymes could be demonstrated by activating them with enterokinase or with trypsin. The proenzymes were eluted after the main protein bulk and proteinase inhibitors. Enzyme precursors were absent from the exudate of formalin-induced peritonitis, which suggests that the proenzymes present in the exudate of pancreatitis are of pancreatic origin. The demonstration of proenzymes in perripheral blood during pancreatitis was tested with the several modifications of the same methods, but the results were not convincing, probably owing to the insensitivity of the methods used.