Tissue plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in human choledochal bile

Fibrinolytic properties have been detected in animal and human gallbladder (GB) bile. Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) has been reported in greater concentration in GB stone bile and may be a nucleating factor in the pathogenesis of GB stone formation. It is unknown whether or not human choledochal bile has similar properties, which could have a role in choledocholithiasis. The aims of this study were to determine the presence of fibrinolytic properties of human choledochal bile and to compare those properties among normal, acalculous, and calculous-infected choledochal bile. Tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and PAI-1 of choledochal bile were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay in patients with cholangitis due to acalculous bile duct obstructions (n = 9), choledocholithiasis with cholangitis (n = 20), and normal bile (n = 7). The t-PA concentration of choledochal bile was no different among the three groups (acalculous-infected bile, median 4.61 ng/ml, and calculous-infected bile, 4.61 ng/ml, versus normal bile, 7.33 ng/ml). PAI-1 was detected in choledochal bile in significantly greater concentrations in patients with acalculous cholangitis due to bile duct obstructions and choledocholithiasis with cholangitis (acalculous-infected bile, median 0.36 ng/ml, and calculous-infected bile, 0.1 ng/ml, versus normal bile, 0.02 ng/ml, p < 0.05), but the bile concentration of PAI-1 was no different between the acalculous and calculous-infected choledochal bile. Human choledochal bile possesses t-PA and PAI-1. PAI-1 was present in greater concentrations in both acalculous and calculous-infected choledochal bile. Increased levels of PAI-1 may be an epiphenomenon of cholangitis rather than a factor in the pathogenesis of choledocholithiasis.     

Plasma tissue plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 levels in acute myocardial infarction

The cause of the circadian variation in the incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has not been identified. Tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) have opposing effects on thrombi. Hence, the extent of the clot, the size of the infarct and outcome of patients could depend on t-PA and PAI-1 levels. In an effort to elucidate the pathophysiologic basis of circadian variation of AMI, we investigated the presence of a possible corresponding circadian variation in the levels of endogenous t-PA and PAI-1 in patients diagnosed to have AMI and the effects of hypertension, diabetes and site of the infarct on these levels. We estimated the levels of t-PA and PAI-1 in platelet-poor plasma of 42 patients with AMI on admission, using the enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay. Although not statistically significant, patients having an AMI in the morning hours had the highest t-PA:PAI-1 ratio. The normal circadian variation in PAI-1 levels was lost in patients with AMI, probably due to the disease process. Also, the t-PA levels in hypertensive patients were significantly lower than in nonhypertensives. PAI-1 levels were also significantly lower in patients with anteroseptal than in inferior and anterolateral AMI. This relationship between the fibrinolytic potential and the site of infarction needs further study. Furthermore, t-PA levels on admission were significantly lower in survivors and may have a predictive value in determining the outcome.     

Tissue plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 levels in patients with acute paraquat intoxication

To investigate the effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) plasma levels, and their possible implications on clinical outcome, we measured tPA and PAI-1 levels in 101 patients with acute paraquat (PQ) intoxication. The control group consisted of patients who ingested non-PQ pesticides during the same period. tPA and PAI-1 levels were higher in the PQ group than in the controls. PQ levels were significantly correlated with ingested amount, timelag to hospital, tPA level, and hospitalization duration. tPA levels were correlated with PAI-1, fibrin degradation product (FDP), and D-dimer. D-dimer levels were lower in the PQ group than in the controls. Univariate analysis indicated the following significant determinants of death: age, ingested amount, PQ level, timelag to hospital, serum creatinine, lipase, pH, pCO(2), HCO(3) (-), WBC, FDP, PAI-1, and tPA. However, multivariate analysis indicated that only PQ level was significant independent factor predicting death. In conclusion, tPA and PAI-1 levels were higher, while D-dimer levels were lower in the PQ group than in the controls, implying that ROS stimulate tPA and PAI-1, but PAI-1 activity overrides tPA activity in this setting. Decreased fibrinolytic activity appears to be one of the clinical characteristics of acute PQ intoxication.     

Differential effects of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs on the IL-1 altered expression of plasminogen activators and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 by articular chondrocytes

OBJECTIVE: To determine the in vitro effects of several nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs on the IL-1 altered expression and activity of tPA, uPA and PAI-1 by articular chondrocytes. METHODS: Bovine chondrocytes were cultured in alginate gel beads. Cells were treated with IL-1alpha in the presence or absence of drugs at various concentrations. Expression of mRNA for the plasminogen activators (uPA and tPA) and their inhibitor (PAI-1) were analyzed by RT-PCR-ELISA. The protein content of PAI-1 in culture media was deter mined by ELISA. PA activity was measured by a functional assay. RESULTS: All tested NSAIDs dose dependently inhibited the IL-1 induced mRNA expression of tPA, whereas only indomethacin and tiaprofenic acid were also able to reduce the expression of uPA. Expression of PAI-1 was elevated by IL-1 without an accompanying increase in secreted amounts of the inhibitor. Indomethacin, naproxen and tiaprofenic acid stimulated the release of PAI-1 into culture media, whereas meloxicam also induced expression of PAI-1 above IL-1 stimulated levels. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, our studies indicate that NSAIDs preferentially inhibit tPA expression by bovine articular chondrocytes. By increasing the production of PAI-1 at therapeutical concentrations meloxicam could reduce PA activity, whereas the other NSAIDs tested mainly enhanced the release of this inhibitor from the extracellular matrix. In how far this would affect the enzyme-inhibitor balance within cartilage has to be determined in further studies.     

Expression of urokinase-type plasminogen activator, urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and -2 in hepatocellular carcinoma

It has become more and more clear in recent decades that the plasminogen activation system, which includes urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR), plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 and PAI-2, plays a very important role in the aggressiveness of cancer. Using immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the expression of these four components of the uPA system was analyzed in 19 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and 18 cases of the adjacent non-cancer tissues which all had chronic active hepatitis with liver fibrosis or liver cirrhosis. Four cases of normal liver tissues, as controls for immunohistochemical stains, were obtained from the hepatectomized liver of patients with metastatic cancer in the liver. The positive rates of uPA, uPAR, PAI-1 and PAI-2 for immunohistochemical stains in cancer tissues were 78.9, 68.4, 57.9 and 31.6%, respectively. Positive signals were mainly distributed in the cytoplasm of the cancer and in stromal cells. Moreover, the strong stains were chiefly located in the invasive front of the cancer cells. No specific stain was detected in four cases of normal liver tissues. In ELISA, there were significant differences between cancer and non-cancer tissues in concentration of uPA, uPAR and PAI-1 (P < 0.0003, 0.0024 and 0.01, respectively), but there was no significant difference in that of PAI-2 (P = 0.37). These results suggest that uPA, uPAR and PAI-1 are related to invasion of HCC.     

Studies on the interaction between plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and vitronectin

Recently, the functionally active form of plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) was found to bind to vitronectin both in plasma and in extracellular matrix. In the present study the formation of the complex between functionally active PAI-1 and vitronectin has been studied using vitronectin-coated microtitre plates. PAW bound to vitronectin in the microtitre plates was quantified using HRP-conjugated monoclonal antibodies towards PAI-1. Even at PAI-I concentrations of about I pmol/I the binding to the vitronectin-coated plates seem to be quantitative suggesting high affinity. In contrast, with ‘latent’ PAI-1 at similar molar concentrations, no binding was observed. The effects of pH, NaCl, KBr, KSCN, urea, guanidinium chloride and certain amino acids were studied on the interaction between active PAI-1 and vitronectin. The interaction was not affected at a wide pH range or by increasing the ionic strength by addition of NaCl, suggesting that the binding is more complicated than just an ionic binding. In addition, no effect was observed on the complex formation by 2 mol/I KBr. In contrast, 0.5 mol KSCN almost completely abolished complex formation. Furthermore, arginine and guanidinium chloride, both dissociated the complex readily. Half maximal binding was obtained at about 0.3 mol/I for both substances. In contrast hardly any effect was obtained with epsilon aminocaproic acid (EACA) or lysine in concentrations up to 1.6 mol/I. Our results suggest that guanidine groups and most likely also hydrophobic interactions are involved in the binding of the active form of PAI-1 to vitronectin.     

Leading-edge myofibroblasts in human colon cancer express plasminogen activator inhibitor-1

Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is up-regulated strongly in various cancer tissues, including colon cancer tissue. Highly specific rabbit polyclonal antibodies against PAI-1 were used for immunohistochemical localization of PAI-1 in 12 invasive colorectal adenocarcinomas. PAI-1 immunoreactivity was observed in endothelial cells of some vessels located in the submucosa and in several fibroblast-like cells located at the invasive front. No PAI-1 immunoreactivity was seen in cancer cells in any of the 12 cases. Double immunofluorescence using the PAI-1 antibodies together with antibodies against alpha-smooth muscle actin for myofibroblast/smooth muscle cells and CD34 for endothelial cells showed that more than 80% of the PAI-1-positive fibroblast-like cells in all 12 cases were myofibroblasts. In 4 of 12 cases, a few of the PAI-1-positive fibroblast-like cells in the invasive front were CD34+. We conclude that the majority of PAI-1-positive fibroblast-like cells located at the leading edge of the invasive colon cancers are myofibroblasts.     

Hormonal regulation of tissue-type plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 in cultured monkey Sertoli cells

Sertoli cells play a central role in the control and maintenanceof spermatogenesis. Isolated Sertoli cells of mouse and rattestes have been shown to secrete plasminogen activator (PA)and a plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) in culture.In this study, we have investigated the hormonal regulationof PA and PAI-1 activities in cultured monkey Sertoli cells.Sertoli cells (5x10⁵ cells/well) isolated from infant rhesusmonkey testes were preincubated at 35°C for 16 h in 24-wellplates precoated with poly(D-lysine) (5 µg/cm²) in 0.5ml McCoy's 5a medium containing 5% of fetal calf serum and furtherincubated for 48 h in 0.5 ml serum-free medium with or withoutvarious hormones or other compounds. PA as well as PAI-1 activitiesin the conditioned media were assayed by fibrin overlay andreverse fibrin autography techniques respectively. The Sertolicells in vitro secreted only tissue-type PA (tPA), no detectableamount of urokinase-type PA (uPA) could be observed. MonkeySertoli cells were also capable of secreting PAI-1. Immunocytochemicalstudies indicated that both tPA and PAI-1 positive staininglocalized in the Sertoli cells, spermatids and residual bodiesof the seminiferous epithelium; Northern blot analysis furtherconfirmed the presence of both tPA and PAI-1 mRNA in monkeySertoli cells. Addition of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)or cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) derivatives or cAMP-generatingagents and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist orphorbol ester (PMA) to the cell culture significantly increasedtPA activity. PAI-1 activity in the culture was also enhancedby these reagents except 8-bromo-dibutyryl-cAMP, forskolin and3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthin (MIX) which greatly stimulated tPAactivity, whereas decreased PAI-1 activity, implying that neutralizationof PAI-1 activity by the high level of tPA in the conditionedmedia may occur. These data suggest that increased intracellularsignals which activate protein kinase A (PKA), or protein kinaseC (PKC) can modulate Sertoli cell tPA and PAI-1 activities.The concomitant induction of PA and PAI-1 by the same reagentsin the Sertoli cells may reflect a finely tuned regulatory mechanismin which PAI-1 could limit the excession of the proteolysis. plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1/Rhesus monkey/Sertoli cells/tissue-type plasminogen activator     

Cerebrospinal fluid plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in patients with neurological disease.

AIM: To study cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) in patients with neurological disease. METHODS: CSF PAI-1 concentrations were measured in 51 patients with neurological disease and 20 reference subjects using an ELISA. The patient group comprised three patients with viral meningitis, 20 with encephalitis, nine with acute lymphoblastic (n = 7) and myeloid (n = 2) leukaemia (with central nervous system involvement), and 19 with multiple sclerosis. RESULTS: Raised PAI-1 concentrations were observed in patients with leukaemia, encephalitis and multiple sclerosis. There was no difference in the mean concentrations of PAI-1 in patients with meningitis when compared with the reference subjects. The highest mean (SEM) PAI-1 concentration was found in patients with leukaemia (1.28 (0.36) ng/ml), and the next highest in those with encephalitis (1.19 (0.20) ng/ml). these values were much higher than those in patients with viral meningitis. In a previous report, raised CSF tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) activities were detected in patients with multiple sclerosis, leukaemia and encephalitis, with mean activities in decreasing order. PAI-1 concentrations in the same patients were the reverse of their corresponding tPA activities, being higher in those with leukaemia and encephalitis, than in patients with multiple sclerosis. There was no association between CSF PAI-1 concentrations and age in either patients or controls. Similarly, there was no association between CSF PAI-1 concentrations and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA). CONCLUSIONS: Raised CSF PAI-1 concentrations may be used as a non-specific marker of neurological disease. Moreover, PAI-1 may play an important role in regulating the functions tPA, and probably uPA, in CSF.     

Oxidative stress and hypoxia: implications for plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 expression

Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is the major physiological inhibitor of urokinase-type and tissue-type plasminogen activators. It has gained special interest among clinicians because a number of pathological conditions, such as myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis, thrombosis, several types of cancer, and the metabolic syndrome, as well as type 2 diabetes mellitus, are associated with increased PAI-1 levels. Interestingly, a number of these diseases are also accompanied by oxidative stress and the enhanced production of reactive oxygen species or tissue hypoxia. This article tries to summarize some aspects leading to enhanced PAI-1 production under oxidative stress or hypoxia.     

Dexamethasone-induced plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 expression in human primary bone marrow adipocytes

Several studies have demonstrated the association of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) with osteonecrosis, but the underlying mechanism of osteonecrosis and its relationship with local PAI-1 is not clear. The objective of this study was to evaluate PAI-1 production by primary human bone marrow adipocytes and the effects of glucocorticoid administration. Bone marrow was obtained from 25 individuals during prosthetic insertion. Mature adipocytes were cultured for 24 h with or without dexamethasone. PAI-1, adiponectin, tumor necrosing factor-α (TNFα) expression were measured by latex photometric immunoassay or RT-PCR. Adiponectin, TNFα and PAI-1 were detected in all culture media. PAI-1 expression was significantly increased by treatment with 10(-6) mol/L dexamethasone up to 24 h in protein and mRNA levels, while the levels of other adipokines did not change by dexamethasone. These results suggest that bone marrow adipocytes may play important roles for the development of glucocorticoid-induced osteonecrotic diseases by enhancing PAI-1 expression.     

Acute psychological stress decreases plasma tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and tissue plasminogen activator/plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (tPA/PAI-1) complexes in cardiac patients

Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) promotes fibrinolysis, and impaired fibrinolysis is associated with atherosclerosis and thrombosis. Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) inhibits t-PA expression. The effects of acute laboratory stressors on tPA and tPA/PAI-1 complexes were assessed in a sample of 11 cardiac patients. Participants were randomly assigned to either a stress or relaxation condition at time 1, and the alternative condition at time 2. Blood samples were taken before (pre) and after (post) each session and participants completed a battery of psychological questionnaires. Two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance revealed a statistically significant decrease in tPA (P=0.01) and tPA-PAI-1 complexes (P=0.04) during the mental stress condition. Anger-in had a strong relationship to decreases in tPA/PAI-1 levels in the stress condition (r=0.68, P?<?0.05). Relaxation had no significant effect on tPA and tPA/PAI-1 levels. These data suggest that decreased fibrinolysis mediates the relationship between mental stress and atherosclerosis.     

Effects of tetracyclines on the production of matrix metalloproteinases and plasminogen activators as well as of their natural inhibitors, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1

OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of tetracycline effects on the expression of MMP-1, MMP-3, tissue inhibitor(s) of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), plasminogen activators (PA), and PA inhibitor-1, which are all involved in the ultimate regulation of MMP activity could provide new insight into how tetracyclines achieve their cartilage preserving effects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used bovine articular chondrocytes cultured in alginate gel beads for our studies which were initially treated with 10 microM tetracyclines in the presence of IL-1. Only significant effects were studied at additional concentrations. Expression of mRNA was analyzed by RT-PCR-ELISA. The activity of enzymes and TIMP was measured by functional assays; whereas, the level of PAI-1 was determined by ELISA. RESULTS: Treating chondrocytes with IL-1 induced the expression of MMPs and downregulated TIMP-1 but stimulated both the expression of PAs and PAI-1. When tested at 10 microM only minocycline reduced collagenase activity and expression of MMP-1. Further pharmacokinetic analysis revealed IC50 values of 26 microM and 16 microM for the inhibition of collagenase activity and mRNA expression, respectively. Production of MMP-3 was only decreased by tetracycline (IC50 = 45.4 microM). No effects of tetracyclines could be observed on proteoglycan degradation, TIMP activity and the production of PAs, PAI-1, and TIMP-1. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the inhibition of MMPs by tetracyclines occurs mainly via down-regulation of the respective gene expression.     

Purification and characterisation of recombinant rabbit plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The rabbit plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) cDNA has been isolated from a rabbit corneal cell cDNA library. The cDNA encodes a 402-amino acid (AA) protein that shares an overall 66% AA sequence identity with the rat, mouse, bovine and human forms of PAI-1 and exhibits the greatest AA sequence identity (85%) with human PAI-1. Three potential N-linked glycosylation sites and the P1, P1′ reactive centre of PAI-1 are conserved among all five species of animals. The cDNA encoding the proposed mature form of rabbit PAI-I was expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae as an intracellular, non-glycosylated protein. The purified, recombinant rabbit PAI-1 (R-rPAI-1) has an apparent M_r of 39 100 and exists primarily in a latent form which can be activated by guanidine HCI treatment. Activated R-rPAI-1 exhibits in vitro functional properties which are virtually indistinguishable from a recombinant, non-glycosylated form of human PAI-I and from fully glycosylated, native human PAI-1.     

Acute psychological stress decreases plasma tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and tissue plasminogen activator/plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (tPA/PAI-1) complexes in cardiac patients

Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) promotes fibrinolysis, and impaired fibrinolysis is associated with atherosclerosis and thrombosis. Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) inhibits t-PA expression. The effects of acute laboratory stressors on tPA and tPA/PAI-1 complexes were assessed in a sample of 11 cardiac patients. Participants were randomly assigned to either a stress or relaxation condition at time 1, and the alternative condition at time 2. Blood samples were taken before (pre) and after (post) each session and participants completed a battery of psychological questionnaires. Two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance revealed a statistically significant decrease in tPA (P = 0.01) and tPA-PAI-1 complexes (P = 0.04) during the mental stress condition. Anger-in had a strong relationship to decreases in tPA/PAI-1 levels in the stress condition (r = 0.68, P < 0.05). Relaxation had no significant effect on tPA and tPA/PAI-1 levels. These data suggest that decreased fibrinolysis mediates the relationship between mental stress and atherosclerosis.     

甲基强的松龙对狼疮性肾炎患者血浆中PAI-1的影响

目的 :研究甲基强的松龙对Ⅳ型狼疮性肾炎 (LN)患者血浆中 1型纤溶酶原激活物抑制物 (PAI 1)的影响。方法 :应用免疫组织化学ELISA方法检测患者血浆中PAI 1含量。结果 :①LN治疗组与对照组比较 (P <0 0 1) ;②LN患者经甲基强的松龙两次冲击治疗后与治疗前分别比较 (P <0 .0 1) ;③甲基强的松龙第二次冲击治疗后 ,与对照组比较无显著性差异 (P >0 0 5 )。结论 :甲基强的松龙通过干扰纤溶酶原激活物 (PA) 纤溶酶系统 ,使LN病人血浆中PAI 1含量明显降低 ,从而发挥治疗作用。     

Vitronectin effects on recombinant plasminogen activator inhibitor-1: structural and functional analysis

Functionally active recombinant plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (rPAI-1) has been purified from bacterial cells in the absence of any discrete binding protein. In the present study, vitronectin, which is known to stabilise the natural form of PAI-1, was evaluated for its effects on the activity and structure of rPAI-1. As assessed by PAI-1 activity assays, purified human vitronectin was shown to stabilise rPAI-1, by doubling its half-life at 25° and 37°C, and to enhance the activity of rPAI-1 in concentration-dependent fashion. Vitronectin also restored partial activity to a latent form of rPAI-1 prepared by a 72h incubation at 37°C. Fluorescence spectroscopy studies revealed that rPAI-1 in association with vitronectin displayed a higher tryptophan emission signal than the sum of the emissions of the individual components. These results suggest that vitronectin effects on rPAI-1 activity may result from specific conformational effects induced upon binding of the two proteins.     

人脑星形细胞瘤纤溶酶原激活抑制因子1基因表达研究

目的研究人脑星形细胞瘤纤溶酶原激活抑制因子１（ＰＡＩ１）基因表达及其临床意义。方法采用Ｎｏｒｔｈｅｒｎ杂交和免疫组化ＡＢＣ方法检测３６例人脑星形细胞瘤ＰＡＩ１ｍＲＮＡ和蛋白表达，分析其与临床病理因素之间的关系。结果所有星形细胞瘤组织均可表达３．０ｋｂ和２．２ｋｂ的ＰＡＩ１ｍＲＮＡ转录物；高分级星形细胞瘤ＰＡＩ１ｍＲＮＡ表达水平显著高于低分级星形细胞瘤（Ｐ＜００１）；正常脑组织未检测出ＰＡＩ１ｍＲＮＡ表达。ＰＡＩ１ｍＲＮＡ表达水平与星形细胞瘤的坏死（ｒ＝０．５１，Ｐ＜０．０１）、微血管数（ｒ＝０．３３，Ｐ＜０．０１）及脑水肿（ｒ＝０．２７，Ｐ＜０．０１）呈显著正相关，与患者性别、年龄及瘤体大小无显著相关性。免疫组化染色显示，ＰＡＩ１蛋白主要分布在高分级星形细胞瘤的瘤细胞和内皮细胞，尤以血管增殖部位和坏死灶周围较为显著，低分级星形细胞瘤呈低水平表达。结论ＰＡＩ１基因表达与人脑星形细胞瘤的分级、坏死、血管生成及脑水肿密切相关，可作为星形细胞瘤恶性程度的分子标记。