Elastase-specific inhibitor (ESI) was purified from sputum of patients with chronic bronchitis and compared with mucus proteinase inhibitor (MPI, BrI) isolated, without the use of affinity chromatography on an enzyme, from non-purulent sputum of a patient with bronchial carcinoma. The N-terminal sequence of 27 residues of the latter was determined and showed serine as the only N-terminus. The partial N-terminal amino-acid sequence of ESI shows some homology with MPI, especially around the reactive site of MPI for human neutrophil elastase. This region could therefore be the reactive site of ESI. The thermodynamic and kinetic constants of the reactions of ESI with human neutrophil elastase and with porcine pancreatic elastase show that ESI is a fast-acting inhibitor.