Intracellular and extracellular serpins modulate lung disease

An imbalance between peptidases and their inhibitors leads to pulmonary disease. Imbalances occur in the adult and the neonate at risk for a specific set of lung pathologies. Serpins (serine peptidase inhibitors) make up the major source of antipeptidase activity in the lung. The purpose of this review is to describe the serpin mechanism of inhibition, their roles in the normal and pathological lung and their potential as therapeutic agents.