Tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), initially characterized for its critical role in fibrinolysis, also has key functions in both physiologic and pathologic processes in the CNS. Neuroserpin (NSP) is a t-PA specific serine protease inhibitor (serpin) found almost exclusively in the CNS that regulates t-PA's proteolytic activity and protects against t-PA mediated seizure propagation and bl...

Total plasminogen activator (PA) activity, tissue-type PA (t-PA) activity, urokinase-like PA activity, and immunoreactive t-PA were measured in benign breast tumors (fibroadenomas), primary breast carcinomas, axillary node metastases, and chest wall recurrences. Total PA activity did not differ significantly in the different types of tumors. However, benign tumors contained predominantly t-PA a...

A computer simulation of the circulatory system was used to kinetically model secretion, inhibition, and clearance of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) during three different processes that increase active t-PA levels: epinephrine infusion, exercise, and endurance training. Infusion of epinephrine stimulated an increase in t-PA secretion that was proportional to the plasma epinephrine concent...

To identify factors responsible for the decline of plasma tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA)-specific activity that we have observed after infusions of the activator and to define the potential usefulness of selected variants of t-PA in obviating them in patients with infarction, serial plasma samples from patients (n = 4) and rabbits (n = 15) given t-PA were assayed for total t-PA antige...

The binding of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) to membranes prepared from human liver was investigated, and a specific, saturable, high-affinity binding site (Kd = 3.4 nM) was identified. The binding of t-PA to liver membranes was not affected by an excess of D-mannose or D-galactose, or by active urokinase (u-PA), whereas binding of t-PA to membranes prepared from human HepG2 hepatoma...

Bradykinin stimulates tissue plasminogen activator release from human endothelium through a flow-independent, B2 receptor-dependent mechanism. The present study tests the hypothesis that smoking impairs bradykinin-stimulated tissue plasminogen activator release. Graded doses of nitroprusside (1.6 to 6.4 microg/min), methacholine (3.2 to 12.8 microg/min), and bradykinin (100 to 400 ng/min) were ...

The efficacy of recombinant vampire bat salivary plasminogen activator (bat-PA) as a thrombolytic agent was compared with that of human tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) in a canine model of arterial thrombosis. An occlusive thrombus was formed in the femoral artery by insertion of a thrombogenic copper coil; femoral arterial blood flow was monitored with a Doppler flow meter. Bat-PA and...