Several strains of Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia hermsii can bind human Lys-plasminogen specifically. Affinity blots using 125I-labeled plasminogen showed that numerous polypeptides of all the strains and species tested could bind via lysine residues to the plasminogen molecule since binding could be completely inhibited by the lysine analog epsilon-aminocaproic acid. Binding analysis using...

We have recently shown that Neovastat, an antiangiogenic extract from shark cartilage, stimulates the in vitro activation of plasminogen by facilitating the tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA)-dependent conversion of plasminogen to plasmin. In this report, we describe the purification and characterization of the stimulatory molecules. Neovastat was subjected to a three-step purification pro...

A variety of proteases have the potential to degrade the extracellular matrix (ECM), thereby influencing the behaviour of cells by removing physical barriers to cell migration, altering cell-ECM interactions or releasing ECM-associated growth factors. The plasminogen activation system of serine proteases is particularly implicated in this pericellular proteolysis and is involved in pathologies ...

Major depressive disorder is a common illness worldwide, but the pathogenesis of the disorder remains incompletely understood. The tissue-type plasminogen activator-plasminogen proteolytic cascade is highly expressed in the brain regions involved in mood regulation and neuroplasticity. Accumulating evidence from animal and human studies suggests that tissue-type plasminogen activator and its ch...

The mechanism of the activation of plasminogen by single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (single-chain u-PA, scu-PA) was studied using rscu-PA-Glu158, a recombinant plasmin-resistant mutant of human scu-PA obtained by site-specific mutagenesis of Lys158 to Glu, and rPlg-Ala740, a recombinant human plasminogen in which the catalytic site is destroyed by mutagenesis of the active-site ...

BACKGROUND We recently assigned a new fibrinolytic function to cell-derived microparticles in vitro. In this study we explored the relevance of this novel property of microparticles to the in vivo situation. DESIGN AND METHODS Circulating microparticles were isolated from the plasma of patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura or cardiovascular disease and from healthy subjects. Micro...

Although plasminogen is a key protein in fibrinolysis and several mutations in the plasminogen gene (PLG) have been identified that result in plasminogen deficiency, there are conflicting reports to associate it with the risk of thrombosis. Our aim was to unravel the genetic architecture of PLG in families with plasminogen deficiency and its relationship with spontaneous thrombotic events in th...

PURPOSE Behaviour of the vein thrombus is determined by the activity ratio of coagulation factors to factors of fibrinolytic system. The aim of the study is to evaluate activity of some coagulation and fibrinolytic factors in the vein thrombus. MATERIAL AND METHODS The activity of platelets aggregating factors, tissue factor, thrombin, antithrombins, antiheparin factors, plasminogen activator...

1. The major components of the blood fibrinolytic enzyme system were measured in patients with congestive cardiac failure, in control patients with heart disease but not in failure, and in control subjects without heart disease. 2. Heart disease in the absence of failure was associated with an increase in fibrinogen, fibrin degradation products and a,-antitrypsin, but not with any alteration of...