title: Interaction of a group A Streptococcus within human plasma results in assembly of a surface plasminogen activator that contributes to occupancy of surface plasmin-binding structures.
abstract: Group A streptococcal isolate 187061 incubated in human plasma or serum reconstituted with fibrinogen but not plasminogen-depleted plasma or serum alone acquired a surface plasminogen activator activity. Assembly of the surface plasminogen activator was inhibited by the presence of neutralizing antibodies to streptokinase. Once assembled, the bacterial-associated plasminogen activator could generate plasmin when incubated in human plasminogen, plasmin or serum which could bind to bacterial surface plasmin-binding structures despite the presence of host physiological inhibitors. These studies provide evidence that the pathways by which group A isolates interact with human plasmin(ogen) are potentially linked and may provide a mechanism for bacteria to acquire host enzymatic activity efficiently in the infected host.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Ohio, Toledo, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: D'Costa
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Boyle
mesh_terms: D015119:Aminocaproic Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000737:chemistry; D005341:Fibrinolysin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D010949:Plasma; D010960:Plasminogen Activators / Q000378:metabolism*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D013300:Streptokinase / Q000378:metabolism; D000511:alpha-Macroglobulins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D000511:alpha-Macroglobulins; C024668:plasmin-alpha(2)-macroglobulin complex; D005340:Fibrinogen; D013300:Streptokinase; D010960:Plasminogen Activators; D005341:Fibrinolysin; D015119:Aminocaproic Acid