title: Plasminogen activators in human nasal polyps and mucosa.
abstract: Fibrinolysis is one of the processes that are involved in inflammation. In this study we have investigated if it is also involved in bilateral nasal polyposis, a disease with an inflammatory component. Fibrinolytic activity in the nasal mucosa and nasal polyps has been studied in 10 patients with bilateral nasal polyposis. Tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and urokinase-like plasminogen activator (u-PA) activities and antigen levels have been determined in polyp tissue and control nasal mucosa. t-PA activity is higher in nasal mucosa (median: 4.26 i.u./mg) as compared with nasal polyps (median: 0.65 i.u./mg; p = 0.03); u-PA activity is slightly lower in nasal mucosa (median: 0.040 i.u./mg) as compared to polyps (median: 0.065 i.u./mg; not significant). The percentage of u-PA to t-PA is 7.9% in nasal mucosa and 22.8% in nasal polyps (p < 0.01). The shift towards a higher u-PA/t-PA ratio in nasal polyps suggests an inflammatory process. Plasma levels of C-reactive protein are all within normal limits, which may suggest that PA activity is restricted to a local inflammatory reaction in the airway mucosa. The higher u-PA/t-PA ratio in nasal polyps and the higher levels of u-PA, when compared with the findings in other organs affected by inflammation, indicate that u-PA plays a part in the inflammatory events resulting in nasal polyps.
authors.affiliation: Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic, Ribe County Hospital, South Jutland University Centre, Esbjerg, Denmark.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: de Maat
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jespersen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000737:chemistry*; D009298:Nasal Polyps / Q000378:metabolism*; D010960:Plasminogen Activators / Q000032:analysis*; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000032:analysis*; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D010960:Plasminogen Activators; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator