Angiotensin convertase activities in human alveolar macrophages: effects of cigarette smoking and sarcoidosis.

Angiotensin I convertase activity has been found in human alveolar macrophages from normal volunteers and patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis. This activity is higher in the alveolar macrophages from smokers than from nonsmokers, and is even more elevated in sarcoid patients. The activity can be detected with both angiotensin I and bradykinin analogs and appears to require protein synthesis, but the enzyme is not secreted by alveolar macrophages in culture.