title: Capturing host plasmin(ogen): a common mechanism for invasive pathogens?
abstract: Plasmin is a potent enzyme that can dissolve blood clots and degrade extracellular matrix proteins. A number of pathogenic bacteria produce plasminogen activators. Many of these organisms can also bind plasmin(ogen) to surface receptors and protect the active enzyme from physiological inhibition. Cell-surface localization of plasmin may be a common mechanism used by bacteria to facilitate movement through normal tissue barriers.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville 32610-0277.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lottenberg
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Minning-Wenz
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Boyle
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D005341:Fibrinolysin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D010958:Plasminogen / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010958:Plasminogen; D005341:Fibrinolysin