title: The streptokinase-plasminogen system. I. Its effect on the pathogenicity of streptococci and other organisms for mice.
abstract: Human plasminogen, plasma, or serum increased the pathogenicity of six streptokinase-positive streptococcal strains for mice. Combinations of commercial streptokinase and plasminogen or streptokinase and plasma did not usually increase mouse mortality to a greater degree than did plasminogen or plasma alone, suggesting that the maximal effective amount of streptokinase was produced by the organisms. The pathogenicity of Salmonella paratyphi (fibrinolysin variable) and a Group D streptococcus (streptokinase-negative) was not increased by plasminogen, plasma, or streptokinase, whereas a combination of streptokinase and plasminogen, or streptokinase and plasma did significantly increase mouse mortality resulting from these organisms. Combinations of certain concentrations of streptokinase and plasminogen increased the pathogenicity of a fibrinolysin-negative staphylococcal strain for mice to a greater extent than did either substance alone. The observed results provide evidence that streptokinase, by an interaction with plasminogen, contributes to the pathogenicity of streptokinase-positive streptococci.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I; D004792:Enzyme Precursors; D005341:Fibrinolysin; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D010949:Plasma; D010958:Plasminogen; D013290:Streptococcal Infections; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes; D013299:Streptodornase and Streptokinase / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013300:Streptokinase; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D004792:Enzyme Precursors; D010958:Plasminogen; D013299:Streptodornase and Streptokinase; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I; D013300:Streptokinase; D005341:Fibrinolysin
keywords: ENZYME PRECURSORS; STREPTOCOCCAL INFECTIONS/experimental; STREPTODORNASE AND STREPTOKINASE/effects