Inhibition of neutrophil-mediated cytotoxicity by alpha 2 macroglobulin.

Highly purified human alpha 2 macroglobulin (1.2--10 mg/ml) was shown to inhibit phytohemagglutinin-induced or antibody-induced lysis of chicken erythrocytes by polymorphonuclear neutrophils. Inhibition was not associated with impaired contact between effector and target cells but rather with the antiprotease activity of alpha 2 macroglobulin.