Lys-plasminogen is a significant intermediate in the activation of Glu-plasminogen during fibrinolysis in vitro.
Plasminogen, the zymogen form of the fibrinolytic enzyme plasmin, is known to undergo plasmin-mediated modification in vitro. The modified form, Lys-plasminogen, is superior to the native Glu-plasminogen in fibrin binding and as a substrate for activation by tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA). The present study was undertaken to determine the existence and significance of the Glu- to Lys-plasminogen conversion during t-PA-mediated lysis of plasma clots in vitro. When human plasma was supplemented with exogenous Lys-plasminogen and clotted, a dose-dependent shortening of lysis time was observed. Formation of Lys-plasminogen in situ during fibrinolysis was determined using 131I-Glu-plasminogen-supplemented plasma. By the time of lysis, Lys-plasminogen had accumulated to about 20% of the initial concentration of Glu-plasminogen. Quantitation of activation of both Glu- and Lys-plasminogen as well as the conversion of Glu- to Lys-plasminogen in plasma supplemented with both 131I-Glu-plasminogen and 125I-Lys-plasminogen was accomplished by determining the flux of the isotopically labeled species along three pathways: Glu-plasminogen-->Glu-plasmin, Glu-plasminogen-->Lys-plasminogen, and Lys-plasminogen-->Lys-plasmin. After a brief lag, the Glu-plasminogen activation rate was constant until lysis was achieved, at which point activation ceased. The Lys-plasminogen activation rate also was essentially constant until lysis but was not characterized by a lag phase. The rate of conversion of Glu- to Lys-plasminogen was nonlinear and correlated directly with the rate of fibrinolysis. By the time lysis had occurred, Glu-plasminogen consumption had been distributed equally between direct activation to plasmin and conversion to Lys-plasminogen, and 45% of the plasmin which had been formed was derived from Lys-plasminogen. These results demonstrate both the formation and the subsequent activation of Lys-plasminogen during fibrinolysis. As a result of improved fibrin binding and activation of Lys-plasminogen compared to Glu-plasminogen, the formation of Lys-plasminogen within a clot constitutes a positive feedback mechanism that can further stimulate the activation of plasminogen by t-PA as fibrinolysis progresses.
Fredenburgh
J C
JC
Department of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
Nesheim
M E
ME
D005342:Fibrinolysis; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008433:Mathematics; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000378:metabolism*; D010958:Plasminogen / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000378:metabolism*
D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C018998:lysyl-plasminogen; D010958:Plasminogen; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator