title: Homozygous type I plasminogen deficiency.
abstract: Homozygous type I plasminogen (Plg) deficiency has not been described in human subjects so far. Ligneous conjunctivitis is a rare and unusual form of chronic pseudomembranous conjunctivitis of unknown etiology. Here we report for the first time on homozygous type I Plg deficiency in three unrelated female patients who suffered from ligneous conjunctivitis and additional pseudomembranous lesions of other mucous membranes. The disease is caused by massive fibrin depositions within the "extravascular space" of mucous membranes because of absent clearance by plasmin. Infusions of albumin, fresh frozen plasma, or Lys-plasminogen (Lys-Plg) into two of the three patients revealed normal Plg activation capacity in these patients. The absence of fibrinolytic activity could therefore be shown to be due to Plg deficiency. Similar studies in the third patient have not been completed. In the two patients studied so far, infusions of Lys-Plg resulted in prompt and adequate Plg recovery with a short half-life and high amounts of plasmin-antiplasmin complexes and D-dimer. One patient additionally revealed an inherited partial factor XII deficiency. Functionally, this factor XII deficiency did not interfere with Plg activation. However, there may be a pathway of Plg activation in this patient via the prekallikrein C1-INH system.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital, University of Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mingers
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Heimburger
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zeitler
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Kreth
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Schuster
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000418:Albumins / Q000494:pharmacology; D000941:Antigens / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D000990:Antithrombin III / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects; D001778:Blood Coagulation Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003231:Conjunctivitis / Q000097:blood; D005174:Factor XII / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects; D005175:Factor XII Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects; D005341:Fibrinolysin / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects; D005342:Fibrinolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006487:Hemostasis / Q000187:drug effects; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D010949:Plasma / Q000502:physiology; D010958:Plasminogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011288:Prekallikrein / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects; D011516:Prothrombin / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects; D000979:alpha-2-Antiplasmin / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D000941:Antigens; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; D000979:alpha-2-Antiplasmin; C036309:fibrin fragment D; D000990:Antithrombin III; D011516:Prothrombin; D005174:Factor XII; D005340:Fibrinogen; D010958:Plasminogen; D011288:Prekallikrein; D005341:Fibrinolysin