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Plasminogen activators and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 in urinary tract cancer.

The plasminogen activation system is considered to play an important role in cancer growth and metastasis. Both plasminogen activators (PAs) and their fast-acting inhibitors are produced in tumor cells and their surrounding tissues. In order to clarify the influence of the existence of malignant tumor in urinary tract on the systemic fibrinolytic activity, we designed a study in which we compared the plasma levels of PAs and their inhibitors between before and after radical resection of tumors. Fourteen patients with renal cell carcinoma and 14 patients with transitional cell carcinoma participated in the study. In both groups, plasma levels of tissue-type plasminogen activator and urokinase-type plasminogen activator before the operation were higher than those 15 days after operation. The plasma level of plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), however, did not change after the operation in the renal cell carcinoma group, and it decreased slightly in the transitional cell carcinoma group although it was not significant. When these values of the groups with or without metastasis were compared to other organs or lymph nodes, the PAI-1 level before operation was significantly higher in the group with metastasis than that without metastasis. In the three groups divided by the degree of atypia, PAI-1 level in the most atypical group was the highest. These results suggest that the fibrinolytic system in the plasma of cancer patients may play an important role in tumor growth and metastasis.

Carcinoma, Renal Cell↗

Interfering factors in the assay of plasminogen activators by the fibrin plate method. Occurrence of different inhibitors against tissue plasminogen activator and urokinase.

The assay of plasminogen activator activities on fibrin plates was re-evaluated with special reference to fibrinolysis inhibitors present in samples and in fibrin plates. The nature, action and stability of inhibiting material were studied in tissue with considerable differences in activator and inhibitor contents: human lung, liver and placenta. Extracts were tested for inhibitory capacity against purified human uterine tissue plasminogen activator, urokinase and plasmin of fibrin plates prepared from different grades of fibrinogen and fibrin. The tissue extracts inhibited fibrinolysis on fibrin plates to varying degrees, dependent on the sample medium, the type of fibrin plate and the kind of plasminogen activator. The influence of inhibitors in the sample and in the fibrin plate was partly abolished by the presence of 2 M KSCN in the sample. The procedure for preparing the samples as described by Astrup and Albrechtsen did not completely eliminate the inhibitory action against the added plasminogen activators. Comparison of urokinase inhibition with tissue activator inhibition by the tissue extracts as to the degree of denaturation in the Astrup and Albrechtsen procedure showed that they have much in common. Nevertheless, some differences were found which indicated the possible existence of separate urokinase and tissue activator inhibitors or of different inhibition mechanisms for these plasminogen activators.

Antifibrinolytic Agents↗

Modulation of tissue plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 by transforming growth factor-beta in human retinal glial cells.

PURPOSE: The serine proteases tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and urokinase plasminogen activator (u-PA) and their inhibitor, plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1, regulate a variety of processes involved in tissue morphogenesis and differentiation. There is much evidence that plasminogen activator-mediated extracellular matrix degradation is an important step in the development of ocular neovascular diseases. The authors investigated whether expression of t-PA, u-PA, and PAI-1 in human retinal glial cells (HRGCs) is influenced by exposure to transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta, a cytokine that regulates the proliferation and differentiation of cells. METHODS: The extracellular release of t-PA, u-PA, and PAI-1 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the supernatant of HRGC cultures, under basal conditions and after stimulation with TGF-beta at various concentrations (2, 5, 10, or 20 ng/mL). Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to analyze mRNA levels. Smad2 phosphorylation was detected by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: Under basal conditions, HRGCs secreted considerable amounts of t-PA and PAI-1. Stimulation with TGF-beta resulted in increased synthesis of t-PA and PAI-1 protein in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Moreover, an increased expression of t-PA and PAI-1 mRNA after supplementation with TGF-beta was observed, with maximum expression at 12 hours. In contrast, HRGCs did not respond to TGF-beta with any change of u-PA production, although there were detectable amounts of u-PA mRNA and protein. Phosphorylation of Smad2 was increased after addition of TGF-beta. This effect was partially reversible after treatment with interferon-gamma. CONCLUSIONS: The production of plasminogen activators and PAI-1 by HRGCs reflects the potential role of these cells in the progression of neovascular ocular diseases. Furthermore, the finding that t-PA and PAI-1 synthesis by HRGCs is mediated by TGF-beta and its downstream effector Smad2 confirms the importance of the TGF-beta signaling pathway in the regulation of interactions between retinal cells and the extracellular matrix.

Blotting, Western↗

Modulation of mRNA levels for urinary- and tissue-type plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitors 1 and 2 in human fibroblasts by interleukin 1.

Plasminogen activators and their inhibitors are thought to play an important role in the regulation of a variety of pathologic processes including inflammation and wound healing. IL-1 is one inflammatory mediator which has been shown to increase release of plasminogen activator (PA) Ag and activity by mesenchymal cells such as chondrocytes and synoviocytes. We have found that rIL-1 beta induces a rapid and significant accumulation of both tissue-and urinary-type plasminogen activator (t-PA and u-PA) mRNA and type 1 and 2 plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1 and PAI-2) mRNA in MRC-5 fetal lung fibroblasts. An SV40 transformed fibroblast cell line, XP12RO, showed an identical response of PAI-1 and t-PA message levels but revealed no change in PAI-2 or u-PA mRNA levels with rIL-1 beta stimulation. Treatment with the transcriptional inhibitor actinomycin D blocked accumulation of t-PA, u-PA, PAI-1, and PAI-2 mRNA, suggesting that RNA synthesis is required for accumulation of all four transcripts. Cycloheximide (CHX) treatment altered the rate of PAI-1 and t-PA mRNA accumulation, but both were able to increase in the absence of protein synthesis. CHX blocked the rIL-1 beta-induced increase in PAI-2 mRNA levels normally observed at 8 h, indicating that protein synthesis is required for this response to IL-1. The increase in u-PA message level was augmented in a synergistic fashion by CHX. These data for PAI-2 and u-PA provide evidence for short-lived proteins which act either to modulate transcription of these genes or regulate mRNA stability. Thus plasminogen activators and their inhibitors are regulated in a positive and complex fashion in the fibroblast by IL-1, suggesting an important role for these molecules and this cell type in the response to inflammation.

Cell Line, Transformed↗

Plasminogen activation initiated by single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator. Potentiation by U937 monocytes.

The binding of urokinase-type plasminogen activators (u-PA) to receptors on various cell types has been proposed to be an important feature of many cellular processes requiring extracellular proteolysis. We have investigated the effect of single-chain u-PA binding to the monocyte-like cell line U937 on plasminogen activation. A 16-fold acceleration of the activation of plasminogen was observed at optimal concentrations of single-chain u-PA. This potentiation was abolished by the addition of either 6-aminohexanoic acid or the amino-terminal fragment of u-PA, thus demonstrating the requirement for specific binding of both single-chain u-PA and plasminogen to the cells. The mechanism of the enhancement of plasmin generation appears to be due primarily to an increase in the rate of feedback activation of single-chain u-PA to the more active two-chain u-PA by cell-bound plasmin, initially generated by single-chain u-PA. This increased activity of the plasminogen activation system in the presence of U937 cells provides a mechanism whereby u-PAs may exert their influence in a variety of cell-associated proteolytic events.

Cell Line↗

Characterization of a fusion protein consisting of amino acids 1 to 263 of tissue-type plasminogen activator and amino acids 144 to 411 of urokinase-type plasminogen activator.

A hybrid human cDNA was constructed by splicing of a cDNA fragment of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), encoding 5'-untranslated, the pre-pro region and amino acids Ser1-Thr263, with a cDNA fragment of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA), encoding amino acids Leu144-Leu411. The cDNA fragments were obtained from full length t-PA cDNA, cloned from Bowes melanoma poly(A)+ mRNA, and from full length u-PA cDNA, cloned from CALU-3 lung adenocarcinoma poly(A)+ mRNA. The hybrid (t-PA/u-PA) cDNA was expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells and the translation product purified from the conditioned cell culture media. On SDS-gel electrophoresis under reducing conditions, the protein migrated as a single band with approximate Mr 70,000. On immunoblotting, it reacted both with rabbit antisera raised against human t-PA and against human u-PA. The urokinase-like amidolytic activity of the protein was only 320 IU/mg but increased to 43,000 IU/mg after treatment with plasmin, which resulted in conversion of the single-chain molecule (t-PA/scu-PA) to a two-chain molecule (t-PA/tcu-PA). The specific activity of the protein on fibrin plates was 57,000 IU/mg by comparison with the International Reference Preparation for Urokinase. Both the single-chain hybrid (t-PA/scu-PA) and the two-chain plasmin derivative (t-PA/tcu-PA) bound specifically to fibrin, albeit more weakly than t-PA. The t-PA/tcu-PA hybrid had a higher selectivity for fibrin than tcu-PA, measured in a system composed of a whole human 125I-fibrin-labeled plasma clot immersed in human plasma. Both hybrid proteins activated plasminogen directly with Km = 1.5 microM and k2 = 0.0058 s-1 for t-PA/scu-PA and with Km = 80 microM and k2 = 5.6 s-1 for t-PA/tcu-PA. CNBr-digested fibrinogen stimulated the activation of plasminogen with t-PA/tcu-PA (Km = 0.20 microM and k2 = 1.2 s-1). It is concluded that these t-PA/u-PA hybrid proteins combine, at least to some extent, the fibrin-affinity of t-PA with the enzymatic properties of u-PA (either scu-PA or tcu-PA), which in some assays result in improved fibrin-mediated plasminogen activation.

Animals↗

Plasminogen activator inhibitor from human fibrosarcoma cells binds urokinase-type plasminogen activator, but not its proenzyme.

An approximately 75% pure form of a human Mr approximately 54,000 plasminogen activator inhibitor from conditioned culture fluid of the fibrosarcoma cell line HT-1080 was obtained by a single step of chromatography on concanavalin A-Sepharose. The inhibitor inhibited human urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) and tissue-type plasminogen activator, but not plasmin. Rabbit antibodies against this plasminogen activator inhibitor also reacted with a plasminogen activator inhibitor with identical electrophoretic mobility in extracts of human blood platelets, indicating that the HT-1080-inhibitor is of the same type as the inhibitor of blood platelets. As revealed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by fibrin-agarose zymography, incubation of HT-1080-inhibitor with the active form of human u-PA led to the formation of an equimolar sodium dodecyl sulfate-resistant complex between them; in contrast, no complex formation was observed between the inhibitor and the proenzyme form of human u-PA (pro-u-PA). Likewise, using a column of anti-inhibitor antibodies coupled to Sepharose for removal of excess inhibitor and activator-inhibitor complexes, the potential enzymatic activity of pro-u-PA was found to be unaffected by incubation with inhibitor under conditions in which more than 95% of the active u-PA had formed complex with inhibitor.

Cell Line↗

Interaction of tissue-type plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 on the surface of endothelial cells.

The site of the reaction between plasminogen activators and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) was investigated in cultures of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. In conditioned medium from endothelial cells, two forms of a plasminogen activator-specific inhibitor can be demonstrated: an active form that readily binds to and inhibits plasminogen activators and an immunologically related quiescent form which has no anti-activator activity but which can be activated by denaturation. In conditioned medium, only a few percent of PAI-1 is the active form. However, the addition of increasing concentrations of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) or urokinase to confluent endothelial cells produced a saturable (3.0 pmol/5 x 10(5) cells), dose-dependent increase of the activator-PAI-1 complex in the conditioned medium even in the presence of actinomycin D or cycloheximide. This resulted also in a dose-dependent decrease of the residual PAI activity measured by reverse fibrin autography both in the conditioned medium and cell extracts. Short-time exposure of endothelial cells to a large amount of t-PA caused almost complete depletion of all cell-associated PAI activity. Although there was no detectable PAI activity even after activation of PAI by denaturants or antigen in the culture medium at 4 degrees C without the addition of t-PA, the addition of t-PA at 4 degrees C not only resulted in the formation of 70% of the amount of the t-PA.PAI complex in conditioned medium at 37 degrees C, but also induced PAI-1 antigen in a time and dose-dependent manner in the conditioned medium. Moreover, 125I-labeled t-PA immobilized on Sepharose added directly to endothelial cells formed a complex with PAI-1 in a dose-dependent manner. On the other hand, no detectable complex was formed with PAI-1 when Sepharose-immobilized 125I-labeled t-PA was added to endothelial cells under conditions in which the added t-PA could not contact the cells directly but other proteins could pass freely by the use of a Transwell. All these results suggest that a "storage pool" on the surface of endothelial cells or the extracellular matrix produced by endothelial cells contains almost all the active PAI-1, and reaction between PA and PAI-1 mainly occurs on the endothelial cell membranes, resulting in a decrease of the conversion of active PAI-1 to the quiescent form.

Dose-Response Relationship, Drug↗

The kinetics of plasminogen activation by thrombin-cleaved pro-urokinase and promotion of its activity by fibrin fragment E-2 and by tissue plasminogen activator.

Thrombin hydrolyzes the Arg156-Phe157 bond in pro-urokinase (pro-UK), two residues from the activation site, generating a two-chain form (thromb-UK) believed to have little activity and that is resistant to plasmin activation. The kinetic constants for thromb-UK against synthetic substrate (S2444) were found to be essentially identical to pro-UK. Against native plasminogen, thromb-UK had a lower Michaelis constant (KM) and a higher (2-fold) catalytic efficiency. However, this difference with pro-UK was nullified by carboxypeptidase B (CpB) treatment of thromb-UK to remove the C-terminal arginine on the A-chain. Plasminogen activation by thromb-UK was substantially promoted by fibrin fragment E-2 but not by other fibrin derivatives, a phenomenon previously observed with pro-UK. Similarly, clot lysis by thromb-UK was promoted by tissue plasminogen activator because their combined effect was synergistic. Fibrinogenolysis in plasma occurred at 80-fold the concentration of thromb-UK as pro-UK, reflecting the 90-fold greater plasmin resistance of thromb-UK. Addition of a CpB inhibitor to the plasma enhanced fibrinogenolysis by thromb-UK and pro-UK by approximately 16%, consistent with the promotion of both forms by certain C-terminal lysines. In conclusion, CpB-thromb-UK corresponds functionally to a plasmin resistant form of pro-UK, indicating that the catalytic site of the single-chain pro-UK is unaffected by thrombin cleavage. The effect of CpB indicates that the C-terminal Arg of thromb-UK slightly enhances its affinity for plasminogen. Thromb-UK has potential plasminogen-activating activity at surfaces where C-terminal lysines, functionally comparable to fragment E-2, are found.

Animals↗

In vitro urokinase type plasminogen activator levels and total plasminogen activator activity in squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck.

OBJECTIVE: Determine total plasminogen activator (PA) activity and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) levels in cell-free supernatants derived from primary and metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. DESIGN: Plasminogen activator activity was measured by spectrophotometric assay with chromogenic substrate Val-Leu-Lys-para-nitroanilide. Urokinase-type plasminogen activator levels were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. RESULTS: Fourteen established squamous cell carcinoma lines from patients with head and neck cancer were assayed for both total PA activity and u-PA levels at 24 to 48 hours of incubation. Compared with control and fibroblast-conditioned media, cell lines established from squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck had significantly (P < .005) higher levels of both total PA activity and u-PA levels. Linear regression analysis showed a positive correlation (r = .65, P = .007) between total PA activity and u-PA levels. CONCLUSIONS: Squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck are able to activate plasminogen and produce u-PA in vitro. The production of PA by squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck may play an important role in the biology of invasion and metastasis.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗

Thrombospondin and transforming growth factor-beta 1 increase expression of urokinase-type plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in human MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Thrombospondin is a high molecular weight adhesive glycoprotein that has been shown to function in mechanisms of tumor progression. The authors' previous studies have shown that thrombospondin promotes human lung carcinoma invasion by up-regulation of the plasminogen activator system through a mechanism involving the activation of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1). In this study, a similar thrombospondin-mediated mechanism operative in breast carcinoma cells is described. METHODS: The effect of thrombospondin and TGF-beta 1 on the capacity of a line of breast carcinoma cells to activate plasminogen was measured as well as the physiologic consequences of these activities on cell adhesion and proliferation. Plasminogen activation was assessed by measuring the plasmin activity and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) levels in cell-conditioned media and the cell-associated urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) levels. RESULTS: Treatment of MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma cells with either thrombospondin or TGF-beta 1 caused increased secretion of PAI-1 with a concomitant decrease in plasmin activity, whereas cell-associated uPA expression was increased with respect to controls. Thrombospondin (40 micrograms/ml) or TGF-beta 1 (5 ng/ml) stimulated the cells to secrete 5.5- and 6.7-fold more PAI-1 than controls, respectively, and caused decreased plasmin activity in the cell culture medium. Conversely, either thrombospondin (40 micrograms/ml) or TGF-beta 1 (5 ng/ml) caused the cells to express 4.55- and 5.38-fold more uPA than controls, respectively. Thrombospondin and TGF-beta 1 induced a more flattened and spread appearance in the cells with no effect on proliferation. These effects could be reversed with antibodies to either thrombospondin or TGF-beta 1 and were not due to contamination of thrombospondin with active TGF-beta 1. CONCLUSIONS: Thrombospondin and TGF-beta 1 function similarly to increase cell-associated uPA and cell-secreted PAI-1. These data suggest that thrombospondin may not only function as an adhesive molecule, but through a mechanism involving the activation of TGF-beta 1, may modulate cell surface protease expression. In addition, these observations suggest that thrombospondin and TGF-beta 1 could promote metastasis by increasing uPA-mediated cell invasion, whereas through the action of PAI-1, also protect blood-born tumor emboli from destruction by host fibrinolytic enzymes.

Breast Neoplasms↗

Urokinase-type plasminogen activator inhibits amyloid-beta neurotoxicity and fibrillogenesis via plasminogen.

Amyloid-beta (Abeta) appears central to Alzheimer's disease (AD), aggregates spontaneously, and is neurotoxic to neurons in vitro. Recently, several groups reported a familial AD locus on chromosome 10. Here, we note that urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) is located within this locus. Previously, we reported that uPA and its functional homolog, tissue-type plasminogen activator, are induced by Abeta treatment of neurons in vitro as well as in a mouse model of Abeta accumulation in vivo. Moreover, the target of plasminogen activators, plasmin, degraded nonaggregated and aggregated Abeta and modulated Abeta toxicity and deposition. Here, we have evaluated the effects of uPA and plasminogen on Abeta fibril formation and neurotoxicity. We report that the combination of uPA and plasminogen, but neither alone, inhibits Abeta toxicity, reduces Abeta deposition in vitro, and inhibits Abeta fibrillogenesis. We interpret these observations as suggesting that uPA represents a possible candidate gene for the chromosome 10 familial AD locus.

Alzheimer Disease↗

Pregnancy-induced changes in the fibrinolytic balance: evidence for defective release of tissue plasminogen activator and increased levels of the fast-acting tissue plasminogen activator inhibitor.

Pregnancy is accompanied by an increased risk of thromboembolic disease. One contributing factor to such disease in the nonpregnant patient is disordered fibrinolysis. It has been suggested that defective fibrinolysis may occur in pregnancy, but this defect has been poorly characterized. In the present study of 52 women with normal pregnancies and 56 nonpregnant control women, we found a marked change in levels of releasable tissue plasminogen activator in pregnant women beginning in the first trimester. Whereas nonpregnant women demonstrated releasable levels of tissue plasminogen activator of 0.74 +/- 0.15 IU/ml of plasma, in the pregnant women the amount released was only 0.06 +/- 0.02 IU/ml of plasma (p less than 0.01). These levels were observed beginning in the first trimester. Levels of the recently described fast-acting tissue plasminogen activator inhibitor increased significantly throughout pregnancy. Values ranged from 8.40 +/- 0.27 IU/ml of plasma in the first trimester to 9.92 +/- 0.09 IU/ml of plasma in the third trimester (p less than 0.05) compared with the level of 8.46 +/- 0.19 IU/ml of plasma in nonpregnant subjects. These data suggest that alterations both in releasable tissue plasminogen activator and in the fast-acting tissue plasminogen activator inhibitor contribute to the physiologic hypercoagulable state of pregnancy.

Adult↗

A colorimetric assay for the simultaneous measurement of plasminogen activators and plasminogen activator inhibitors in serum-free conditioned media from cultured cells.

The coupled photometric assay for plasminogen activator reported by Coleman and Green (1981) Methods in Enzymology (Lorand, L., Ed.), Vol. 80, pp. 408-414, Academic Press, San Diego, CA) has been adapted for use with 96-well plates and an automatic microplates spectrophotometer. The assay allows the discrimination between tissue-type and urokinase-type plasminogen activators in cell culture-conditioned media. It provides a level of detection of these enzymes in the range 10(-17) to 10(-13) mol (determined using purified human plasminogen activators), uses no radioisotopes, and is faster and more economical than similar assays using specific peptide substrates for plasminogen activators. Levels of free plasminogen activator inhibitor activity can be simultaneously measured on the same samples by a simple adaptation of the assay. This method allows an easy treatment of the data by interfacing with a computer and should thus be useful when large numbers of samples are assayed.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗

Plasminogen activator activity and plasminogen independent amidolytic activity in tear fluid from healthy persons and patients with anterior segment inflammation.

Plasminogen activator activity and plasminogen independent amidolytic activity were measured in human tears by a spectrophotometric method using human plasminogen and chromogenic peptide substrate S-2251. This assay is sensitive predominantly to urokinase-like plasminogen activator. Tears were collected with glass capillaries. The activator activity in normal tears was found to be low, 0.06 +/- 0.04 (SD) IU/ml. Elevated levels were measured in the tears of patients with various types of conjunctival and corneal disorders. The affected epithelial cells of the cornea and conjunctiva were suggested to be responsible for the elevated activity. Plasminogen independent amidolytic activity was usually very low except in cases of increased permeability of the conjunctival blood vessels. The procedure is recommended as a useful tool for the study of the pathological changes in the epithelial cells of the cornea and conjunctiva.

Conjunctival Diseases↗

The potentiating effect of platelet on plasminogen activation by tissue plasminogen activator.

A new role for platelets in fibrinolysis is proposed. Platelets (euglobulin from platelet rich plasma and from human platelet extract) may potentiate plasminogen activation by tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). The potentiating activity was detected by both chromogenic substrate and fibrin plate analysis. The fibrinolysis-potentiating substance in the platelets required the presence of both tPA and plasminogen, suggesting that it potentiates the activation of plasminogen by tPA. This substance was not related to fibrinogen degradation products because it was also present in platelets from two afibrinogenemic patients and did not lose its activity when separated from fibrinogen-related antigen by Sepharose 2B gel filtration. Since platelets contain both activator(s) and inhibitor(s) of plasminogen activation by tPA, a balance between activator(s) and inhibitor(s) in platelets may also be required for control of the fibrinolytic pathway.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗

The stimulatory effect of soluble fibrin on plasminogen activation by tissue plasminogen activator as studied by the Coa-set Fibrin Monomer test.

The stimulatory effect of various fibrin preparations on plasminogen activation by tissue plasminogen activator, was studied by the Coa-set Fibrin Monomer test (Kabi). Fibrin obtained by complete conversion of purified fibrinogen demonstrated a greater stimulatory effect on plasminogen activation than did equal amounts of fibrin obtained by partial conversion of fibrinogen. Soluble fibrin generated by treating human plasma with minute amounts of thrombin or bathroxobin, resembled partially converted purified fibrinogen. The plasminogen activating effect of completely converted fibrinogen was similar in thrombin and bathroxobin incubated samples. In preparations of partially converted fibrinogen and in plasma samples, bathroxobin digested fibrinogen expressed a more pronounced stimulatory effect on plasminogen activation than did thrombin digested specimens. The underlying mechanism for these differences are discussed.

Batroxobin↗

Lysis of surface-localized fibrin clots by adsorbed plasminogen in the presence of tissue plasminogen activator.

The ability of plasminogen adsorbed from buffer onto sulphonated silica glass or lysine-derivatized silica glass to lyse fibrin I clots has been investigated. Clots were formed around the test surface by adding reptilase to fibrinogen solutions in which the surfaces were immersed. Tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) was then added and the extent of clot lysis was determined by measuring the levels of the specific plasmin cleavage product of fibrinogen, B beta 1-42 peptide. The data indicate that in the presence of t-PA, B beta 1-42 generation per mole of bound plasminogen on the lysinized material is approximately two-fold higher than on the sulphonated material. It is concluded that a preformed clot may be lysed by adsorbed plasminogen in the presence of t-PA, and that clot lysis is significantly enhanced when the plasminogen is adsorbed via its lysine binding sites.

Adsorption↗