title: Activated protein C: alpha 1-antitrypsin (APC: alpha 1 AT) complex as a marker for in vitro diagnosis of prethrombotic states.
abstract: The purpose of the study was to test whether APC: alpha 1AT complex is a useful clinical marker of the activation of coagulation. The rationale for this is that activated protein C may appear in circulation at an early stage of blood coagulation, when subcoagulant amounts of thrombin are formed. Given the relatively higher half-life of APC: alpha 1AT as compared to that of thrombin:AT-III (TAT) complexes, we hypothesized that APC:alpha 1AT could represent an amplification of the thrombin generated in the first events of coagulation. Using sandwich ELISA's we measured APC: alpha 1AT and TAT complexes as well as complexes of AT-III with its target proteases in normal subjects and in several clinical groups of patients prone to thrombotic episodes, including pregnancy, preeclampsia, hemodialysis, gynecological tumors, diabetes and oral contraceptives. APC: alpha 1AT complex was significantly increased in all clinical groups as compared to normal subjects and showed relatively higher increases than did TAT and ATM complexes in the majority of the groups studied. There was a significant and positive correlation between APC: alpha 1AT and TAT complex levels in the majority of the groups, as well as between TAT and ATM and between APC: alpha 1AT and ATM complex levels. We conclude that APC: alpha 1AT complex can be used as a sensitive marker of prethrombotic states.
authors.affiliation: Research Center, La Fe University Hospital, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: España
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gilabert
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vicente
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Estellés
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vazquez
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hendl
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aznar
mesh_terms: D000990:Antithrombin III / Q000032:analysis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001778:Blood Coagulation Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000032:analysis; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000097:blood; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third / Q000097:blood; D011486:Protein C / Q000032:analysis*; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; D011486:Protein C; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin; C046193:antithrombin III-protease complex; D000990:Antithrombin III; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases