Effect of treatment with 17 alpha-alkylated androgens on C4 conversion products in hereditary angioedema studied by crossed immunoelectrophoresis.

During agarose electrophoresis C4 in the normal human serum is converted into cleavage products of Beta 1 and Beta 2 mobility. By contrast in the serum of untreated patients with hereditary angiodema C4 gives only one Beta 2 peak on crossed immunoelectrophoresis. The normal C4 electrophoretic pattern is restored in serum of patients treated with stanazolol but not with danazol despite the same C1-esterase inhibitor (C1 INH) activities and C4 serum concentration. We suggest that stanazolol besides having specific effect on C1 INH activity can interfere with other protease inhibitors affecting C1 activation.