Increased plasminogen activator inhibition levels in malignancy.

Plasminogen activator(PA)-tissue and urokinase type-and PA-inhibition in plasma were investigated in 52 consecutive cancer patients with a variety of tumors. At first patients were analyzed as one group. Secondly patients were subdivided into two groups, one with (n = 42) and one without (n = 10) metastasis. Our results show that tissue-type-PA antigen (t-PA-antigen) and PA-inhibition were both significantly increased irrespective of the presence or absence of tumor metastasis (p less than 0.001 compared to age matched healthy controls. In the group without metastasis a significantly decreased level of t-PA activity was found (p less than 0.001) but in the group with metastasis t-PA activity was normal. These data seem to reject the hypothesis that decreased plasma fibrinolytic activity is one of the prerequisites for tumor metastasis.

Purified radiolabeled antithrombin III metabolism in three families with hereditary AT III deficiency: application of a three-compartment model.

Purified human radioiodinated antithrombin III (125I-AT III) was used to study its metabolism in six members from three different families with a known hereditary AT III deficiency. Six healthy volunteers served as a control group. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and crossed immunoelectrophoresis (CIE) showed the purified AT III to be homogeneous. Amino acid analysis of the protein revealed a composition identical to a highly purified internal standard. The specific activity was 5.6 U/mg. Analysis of plasma radioactivity data was performed, using a three-compartment model. Neither plasma disappearance half-times nor fractional catabolic rate constants differed significantly between patients and control subjects. The mean absolute catabolic rate in the patient group was significantly lower than that of the control group at 2.57 +/- 0.44 and 4.46 +/- 0.80 mg/kg/day, respectively. In addition, the mean patient alpha 1-phase, flux ratio (k1,2 and k2,1) of the second compartment alpha 2-phase and influx (k3,1) of the third compartment were significantly reduced as compared with control values. It has been tentatively concluded that the observed reduction in the second compartment may be caused by a decrease in endothelial cell surface binding.

Antithrombin III metabolism in two colitis patients with acquired antithrombin III deficiency.

125I-Antithrombin III metabolism studies were performed in 2 patients with ischemic and ulcerative colitis, respectively. Both patients had acquired antithrombin III deficiency and objectively diagnosed deep venous thrombosis. A decreased 125I-antithrombin III plasma disappearance halflife and an increased fractional catabolic rate was found in both patients. The transcapillary flux ratio was elevated in the patient with ischemic colitis. A follow-up study of the first patient during a period when no signs of an ischemic colitis were present and no medication was taken showed completely normal tracer data. The data are consistent with both gastrointestinal loss and intravascular consumption of antithrombin III. The antithrombin III deficiency could not be explained by other causes such as proteinuria, liver dysfunction, or obvious disseminated intravascular coagulation. Reduced antithrombin III plasma levels were considered to have contributed to the development of deep venous thrombosis in both patients.

alpha 2-Plasmin inhibitor metabolism in patients with liver cirrhosis.

We describe the metabolism of purified human alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor in patients with liver cirrhosis to determine whether low plasma concentrations of alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor are the result of impaired synthesis or increased catabolism or both. A kinetic study was performed with 131I-alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor as a sensitive parameter of fibrinolysis in 14 patients with histologically proved liver cirrhosis compared with six healthy control subjects. Eight patients had macronodular cirrhosis (with positive hepatitis B surface antigen), and six had micronodular cirrhosis as a result of alcohol abuse. None of the patients had clinical signs of ascites, and in all the disease was stabilized. alpha 2-Plasmin inhibitor levels biologically and immunologically measured were decreased in all patients. Ten microCi 131I-alpha 2PI was injected intravenously, the disappearance of plasma radioactivity was measured, and turnover data were calculated according to the function x(t) = A1e-alpha 1t + A2e-alpha 2t + Be-beta t. Mean (+/- SD) turnover data in the control subjects were plasma radioactivity half-life 60.1 +/- 5.3 hours, fractional catabolic rate constant of the plasma pool 0.0318 +/- 0.0106 hr-1, and absolute catabolic (synthetic) rate constant 2.10 +/- 0.60 mg/kg/day. The alpha 1-phase was 1.26 +/- 0.23, and the transcapillary influx constant (k2,1) was 0.974 +/- 0.109 hr-1. In the patients, plasma radioactivity half-life was 58.7 +/- 12.09 hr, and fractional catabolic rate constant of the plasma pool 0.0283 +/- 0.0043 hr-1. The alpha 1-phase 4.74 +/- 6.48 and the transcapillary influx (k2,1) 3.08 +/- 3.9 hr-1 were both significantly increased compared with control values (p less than 0.05 and p less than 0.05, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)