Relationships between Activators and Inhibitors of Plasminogen, and the Progression of Small Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

OBJECTIVE: plasmin is a common activator of the known proteolytic systems involved in the aneurysmal degradation, and is reported to be associated with the expansion of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). The aim of this study was to study the activating pathways of plasminogen as predictors of the progression of AAA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: one hundred and twelve of 122 male patients with a small AAA (def.: +3cm) were interviewed, examined, had blood samples taken at diagnosis, and scanned annually for 1-5 years (mean 3.5 years), and referred for surgery if the AAA exceeded 5cm in diameter.A random sample of 70 of the 112 cases had plasma levels of urokinase-like-plasminogen activator (uPA), tissue-type-plasminogen activator (tPA), plasminogen-activator-inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), macrophage inhibiting factor (MIF), tumour-growth-factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1), homocysteine, and serum levels of IgA-antibodies against Chlamydia pneumoniae (IgA-CP) and Cotinine (a nicotine metabolite) measured. Spearmans correlation analysis was used for statistics. RESULTS: the annual expansion rate correlated positively with tPA, IgA-CP and S-Cotinine; r =0.37 (p=0.002), 0.29 (p=0.006) and 0.24 (p=0.038), while PAI1, uPA, TGF-beta1, homocysteine, and MIF did not. S-Cotinine did also correlate positively with tPA, r=0.24 (p=0.049). CONCLUSION: the aortic matrix degradation in AAA may be partly caused by an activation of plasminogen by tPA, but apparently not by uPA, which usually dominates matrix degradation. Smoking seems to be a factor for this pathway, while the pathways of IgA-CP and MIF, a new marker of aneurysmal progression, seem different. The latter observations suggest that other proteolytic pathways are involved in the aortic wall degradation in AAA.     

纤维蛋白溶解酶和Dispase蛋白酶诱导兔眼玻璃体后脱离的实验研究

目的研究纤维蛋白溶解酶和dispase蛋白酶诱导玻璃体后脱离(PVD)的作用。方法24只健康成年的青紫兰兔随机分为4组,右眼均为实验眼,左眼为对照眼。A组实验眼玻璃体腔内注射纤溶酶1U,B组纤溶酶2 U,C组dispase蛋白酶0.0125U和D组dispase蛋白酶0.025U,对照眼均为眼用平衡盐BSS液0.1 ml。注药前后行眼底镜、裂隙灯和VOLK 90D前置镜以及B超和视网膜电图(ERG)检查,最后取眼球进行光镜、扫描电镜和透射电镜观察。结果电镜结果A组2只实验眼后极部发生不完全性PVD,发生率为33.3%;B、C两组实验眼中各有4只眼发生完全性PVD。发生率为66.7%;D组实验眼有5只眼发生完全性PVD,发生率为83.3%。纤溶酶各组实验眼注药后ERG振幅与术前及对照眼比较无显著性差异(P>0.05),光镜和透射电镜观察视网膜组织结构正常,均未发现明显异常改变。而Dispase蛋白酶各组透射电镜观察视网膜细胞和细胞器出现水肿和变性。ERG检测Dispase两组实验眼术后b波振幅较术前明显降低(P<0.01)。结论玻璃体腔注射纤溶酶2U较注射1U更能有效的诱导PVD且对视网膜无明显的毒性作用。而Dispase蛋白酶虽然可迅速有效的诱导PVD,但对视网膜有明显的毒性作用。     

Cell signalling associated with fibrinolytic ligand binding to human colorectal carcinoma cells

Summary Addition of purified plasmin or plasminogen (0.1 M) to serum-free culture media elevated cellular D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP ₃) levels in human colorectal carcinoma cells within 1 h to double those of control cells. This was accompanied by decreases in cellular phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate by 40% in cells exposed to fibrinolytic ligands for up to 1 h. The effect was not due to opening of Ca²⁺ channels of the type blocked by 5 M nifedipine, and 100 M EGTA, a Ca²⁺ chelator, did not suppress plasmin's ability to elevate InsP ₃. Binding assays at 4° C with¹²⁵I-labelled plasmin indicated maximum binding within 1 h suggesting that the effects of plasmin may be associated with its cell-binding function. These cells could convert exogenous plasminogen to plasmin with endogenous activation and this was accompanied by a decrease in radioactive phosphatidylinositol well below control levels (13% of control). Our results contribute to evidence for the association of plasmin-binding sites with a signalling system. A cell signalling system indirectly or directly associated with plasmin binding, would permit carcinoma cells to coordinate extracellular fibrinolysis with cell migration and motility through second messengers.Abbreviations InsP ₃ inositol trisphosphate - Ptd phosphatidyl     

纤溶酶-α2抗纤溶酶复合物检测方法的建立和初步临床应用

目的　建立纤溶酶 α2 抗纤溶酶复合物 (PAP)的检测方法。方法　从血浆中纯化PAP作为免疫原制备单克隆抗体 (单抗 ) ,建立双抗体夹心法酶联免疫吸附试验 (ELISA) ,并对该法进行评价。结果　获取了特异针对PAP新抗原的单抗LW 3C10 ,和针对PAP及纤溶酶原 (Plg)的单抗LW 2B9。对PAP的亲和常数分别为 4 6 9× 10 10 mol/L、5 6 2× 10 9mol/L。以它们建立的夹心ELISA检测PAP在 0～ 15 0 μg/L范围内线性良好 ,批内、批间CV分别为 4 0 %～ 5 2 %、11 2 %～ 13 6 % ,回收率为 85%～ 10 5 % ,加入α2 抗纤溶酶 (α2 AP)及纤溶酶 α2 巨球蛋白复合物 (P α2 M)不干扰测定 ,与美国ADI公司PAP试剂盒相关良好 (r=0 96 2 9)。急性髓细胞白血病组、急性心肌梗死组、肝病组、健康老年人组的血浆PAP水平显著高于正常对照组 (P <0 0 0 1)。结论　该法可用于评估纤溶系统激活。     

Proteomic characterisation of neuronal sphingolipid-cholesterol microdomains: role in plasminogen activation

Sorting of certain membrane proteins requires a mechanism involving rafts, protein-lipid complexes enriched in glycosphingolipids and cholesterol. These microdomains remain at the plasma membrane of different cell types and play a role in signal transduction. Although recent reports have begun to describe molecules associated with rafts, their protein composition remains largely unknown, especially in neuronal cells. To address this question, we have purified detergent-insoluble raft fractions (DRMs) from primary cultures of hippocampal neurons. Bidimensional gel analysis and pharmacological raft lipid manipulation allowed the identification of neuronal raft proteins and their characterisation by MALDI-TOF analysis. Enolases were found among the proteins identified and functional studies demonstrate their participation in plasminogen binding. We also show the specific enrichment in rafts of several other plasminogen binding molecules and the exclusive activation of plasminogen to the protease plasmin in these microdomains. These observations suggest that neuronal rafts may play, in addition to intracellular signaling, a role in extracellular/membrane protein proteolysis.     

Amiloride and urinary trypsin inhibitor inhibit urothelial cancer invasion

OBJECTIVE: To determine the contribution of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and plasmin in the invasion of highly invasive urothelial cancer cells. METHODS: We compared expression levels of mRNA and protease activity of uPA and plasmin formation in primary cultures of the noninvasive transitional cell carcinoma, UCT-1, and in the highly invasive type, UCT-2. By using in vitro cell invasion assay system, we evaluated the effects of amiloride and urinary trypsin inhibitor (UTI), which inhibit uPA and plasmin, respectively, on invasion by both cell lines. RESULTS: Expression levels of mRNA, protein, and activities of uPA were significantly higher (p<0.005) and resulted in more plasminogen activation in UCT-2 than in UCT-1. Amiloride and UTI significantly inhibited plasmin formation and the invasion of both cell lines (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: High expression levels of mRNA, activities of uPA and high plasmin formation significantly potentiated the invasiveness of urothelial cancer cells. Thus, inhibitors of uPA and plasmin, such as amiloride and UTI, respectively, could be useful therapeutic tools with which to treat urothelial cancer.     

Plasminogen activation in plasma of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Summary We measured ₂-plasmin inhibitor-plasmin complexes (PI-PC) in plasma of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) to examine the plasminogen activation in SLE. The plasma PI-PC level in 23 patients with SLE was significantly higher than that in 18 normal subjects (P<0.001) and the SLE patients with nephrotic syndrome had higher plasma PI-PC levels than those without nephrotic syndrome (P<0.01). In addition, the plasma PI-PC level was significantly correlated with the level of plasma C3 breakdown products (iC3b/C3dg) in the patients with SLE (r=0.53, P<0.01). These results suggest that plasminogen is activated in plasma of patients with SLE and that the plasminogen activation may be associated with the activation of complement in SLE.     

Interaction of Leishmania mexicana promastigotes with the plasminogen–plasmin system

The binding of human plasminogen and plasmin to the promastigote form of Leishmania mexicana was investigated. L. mexicana was capable to bind both molecules, the binding being inhibited by -aminocaproic acid. Scatchard plot analysis revealed a dissociation constant (K_d) value of 2.4±0.8 μM and 0.9±0.1×10⁴ binding sites per cell for plasminogen and a K_d value of 1.2±0.4 μM and 1.6±0.2×10⁵ binding sites per cell for plasmin. C-terminal lysine residues are involved in plasminogen binding to cells, since carboxypeptidase B treatment reduced this binding by 34%. Ligand blotting analysis showed a group of proteins, with molecular masses between 105 and 115 kDa, capable to interact with plasminogen. Zymogram analysis showed that the protease activity acquired by L. mexicana, due to the interaction with either plasminogen or plasmin, comprises an important fraction of the total protease activity at pH 7.7. Plasminogen activation by tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) was enhanced by the presence of L. mexicana promastigotes. These results raise the question whether the interaction of L. mexicana with components of the fibrinolytic system is involved in the virulence of the parasite.     

Cardioprotective effects of sinomenine in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in a rat model

BackgroundIschemia reperfusion (I/R) play an imperative role in the expansion of cardiovascular disease. Sinomenine (SM) has been exhibited to possess antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and anticarcinogenic properties. The aim of the study was scrutinized the cardioprotective effect of SM against I/R injury in rat.MethodsRat were randomly divided into normal control (NC), I/R control and I/R + SM (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg), respectively. Ventricular arrhythmias, body weight and heart weight were estimated. Antioxidant, inflammatory cytokines, inflammatory mediators and plasmin system indicator were accessed.ResultsPre-treated SM group rats exhibited the reduction in the duration and incidence of ventricular fibrillation, ventricular ectopic beat (VEB) and ventricular tachycardia along with suppression of arrhythmia score during the ischemia (30 and 120 min). SM treated rats significantly (P < 0.001) altered the level of antioxidant parameters. SM treatment significantly (P < 0.001) repressed the level of creatine kinase MB (CK-MB), creatine kinase (CK) and troponin I (Tnl). SM treated rats significantly (P < 0.001) repressed the tissue factor (TF), thromboxane B2 (TXB2), plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) and plasma fibrinogen (Fbg) and inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory mediators.ConclusionOur result clearly indicated that SM plays anti-arrhythmia effect in I/R injury in the rats via alteration of oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction.     

Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 Antisense Oligodeoxynucleotides Abrogate Mesangial Fibronectin Accumulation

Excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation is the main feature of chronic renal disease including diabetic nephropathy. Plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 is known to play an important role in renal ECM accumulation in part through suppression of plasmin generation and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activation. The present study examined the effect of PAI-1 antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) on fibronectin upregulation and plasmin/MMP suppression in primary mesangial cells cultured under high glucose (HG) or transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, major mediators of diabetic renal ECM accumulation. Growth arrested and synchronized rat primary mesangial cells were transfected with 1 µM phosphorothioate-modified antisense or control mis-match ODN for 24 hours with cationic liposome and then stimulated with 30 mM D-glucose or 2 ng/ml TGF-β1. PAI-1 or fibronectin protein was measured by Western blot analysis. Plasmin activity was determined using a synthetic fluorometric plasmin substrate and MMP-2 activity analyzed using zymography. HG and TGF-β1 significantly increased PAI-1 and fibronectin protein expression as well as decreased plasmin and MMP-2 activity. Transient transfection of mesangial cells with PAI-1 antisense ODN, but not mis-match ODN, effectively reversed basal as well as HG- and TGF-β1-induced suppression of plasmin and MMP-2 activity. Both basal and upregulated fibronectin secretion were also inhibited by PAI-1 antisense ODN. These data confirm that PAI-1 plays an important role in ECM accumulation in diabetic mesangium through suppression of protease activity and suggest that PAI-1 antisense ODN would be an effective therapeutic strategy for prevention of renal fibrosis including diabetic nephropathy.