title: Rapid appearance of plasmin in tear fluid after ocular allergen exposure.
abstract: Specific allergens were applied topically to the conjunctivae of 18 allergic patients. In cases with positive allergic reaction, proteolytic activity, identified as plasmin using zymographic analysis and a monoclonal anticatalytic antibody to plasmin, was found to appear within 3-5 min in the tear fluid, reaching concentrations of 2.2-28.6 micrograms/ml. No plasmin was detected, either in the tear fluid of 30 unchallenged non-atopic control persons, or atopic patients provoked with a test material that had given no reaction in a skin prick test. These findings suggest that generation of plasmin is a consequence of the conjunctival allergic reaction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Salonen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lauharanta
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Sim
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stephens
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vaheri
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000485:Allergens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D003228:Conjunctiva; D005260:Female; D005341:Fibrinolysin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D005341:Fibrinolysin