Is tissue plasminogen activator a threat to neurons?
The clot-busting drug tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is currently the only FDA-approved therapy for acute stroke. However, increasing evidence suggests that tPA can also contribute to excitotoxic neuronal damage in animal models of stroke.
Traynelis
S F
SF
Department of Pharmacology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. strayne@emory.edu
Lipton
S A
SA
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000378:metabolism; D020521:Stroke / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator