Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound   Target Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound

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Query: EC:3.4.21.7 (plasmin)
9,023 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Plasmin resulted in increased neutrophil adherence to cultured ovine pulmonary artery endothelial cell monolayers in a concentration-dependent manner (10(-12)-10(-7) M). The adherence response increased fivefold above baseline within 60 min after addition of plasmin (10(-8) M) and the response persisted up to 30 min after removal of plasmin. The neutrophil adherence was mediated by the action of plasmin on neutrophils rather than endothelial cells. The response was the result of an increase in functional activity of CD18 neutrophil cell surface adhesive glycoprotein. Neutrophil adherence was inhibited by pretreatment of neutrophils with MAbs IB4 and 60.3 targeted against the beta chain of the CD18, whereas control isotypic MAb 60.5 against HLA class I antigen had no effect. The plasmin catalytic site was not involved in the response. Lys-plasminogen had reduced adherence-promoting activity relative to plasmin, whereas glu-plasminogen had no effect. Elastase-derived plasminogen fragments corresponding to kringle 1+2+3 and kringle 4 (both of which contained the lysine-binding sites) possessed neutrophil adherence-promoting activities similar to plasmin, whereas miniplasminogen (which contains the catalytic site but no lysine-binding sites) had minimal effect, indicating the involvement of lysine-binding sites in the response. Blocking lysine-binding sites of plasmin and elastase-derived plasminogen fragments with tranexamic acid (IC50 of 5 mM) inhibited neutrophil adherence. A monospecific polyclonal antibody against the lysine-binding sites also reduced the neutrophil adherence-promoting activity of plasmin. The results indicate that plasmin induces neutrophil adherence to the endothelium and that the effect is mediated by lysine-binding sites on plasmin.
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PMID:Role of catalytic and lysine-binding sites in plasmin-induced neutrophil adherence to endothelium. 256 79

Enhanced thrombin activity has been associated with coronary thrombosis and with acute and long-term complications following coronary balloon angioplasty. Blocking thrombin activity with specific inhibitors is proposed as a promising antithrombotic therapy. We describe the anticoagulant and antithrombotic properties of hirunorm, a novel synthetic 26-aminoacid peptide thrombin inhibitor, in comparison with r-hirudin and hirulog-1. Hirunorm was equipotent to hirulog-1 and 1/30 as potent as r-hirudin in blocking alpha-thrombin amidolytic activity (IC50 = 10 +/- 2, 15 +/- 1 and 0.3 +/- 0.1 nM, respectively), but it did not affect trypsin, plasmin and t-PA activities at 10 microM. All the compounds inhibited clot-bound thrombin to clots prepared by thrombin hydrolysis of purified fibrinogen in buffer. Hirunorm and hirulog-1 showed similar species-dependent potency in doubling basal in vitro clotting times of human, rat and rabbit plasma (EC200 varied 70 to 200 nM for TT, 0.7 to 16 microM for aPTT and 0.8 to 17 microM for PT), while r-hirudin was always at least three times more active. When assayed by HPLC or by bioassay of the intact peptide, hirunorm was stable against alpha-thrombin and plasma hydrolases, but it was catabolized by rat liver and kidney enzymes. Venous thrombosis was produced in anaesthetized rats by vena cava ligation following a procoagulant serum injection. Intravenous and subcutaneous hirunorm inhibited venous thrombosis at doses (< or = 0.3 mg/kg) two-three times higher than those of r-hirudin. Hirulog-1 was as active as hirunorm only after i.v. infusion. Arterial thrombosis was obtained in the anaesthetized rat by chemical (FeCl2) stimulation of a common carotid and i.v. infused hirunorm (1-3 mg/kg/30 min) inhibited it dose-dependently; r-hirudin was partly active only at 3 mg/kg, but hirulog-1 was inactive at either dose. Full antithrombotic doses of hirunorm did not affect the bleeding time as measured from punctured mesenteric vessels, in anaesthetized rats. In conclusion, hirunorm is a potent peptide thrombin inhibitor endowed with antithrombotic activity in models of venous and arterial thrombosis.
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PMID:Experimental pharmacology of hirunorm: a novel synthetic peptide thrombin inhibitor. 888 75

Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), the serine protease that converts inactive plasminogen to the protease plasmin, was recently shown to mediate neurodegeneration in the mouse hippocampus. Mice deficient in tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) display a dramatic resistance to a paradigm of excitotoxic neuronal death that involves intrahippocampal injection of the excitotoxin. This model is thought to reproduce the mechanism of neuronal death observed during acute (such as ischemic stroke) and degenerative (such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) diseases of the nervous system. The requirement for the proteolytic activity of tPA to mediate neuronal death is acute in the adult mouse. Serine protease inhibitors, specific for tPA or the tPA/plasmin proteolytic cascade, are effective in conferring extensive neuroprotection following the excitotoxic injection. These findings suggest possible new ways for interfering with the neuronal death observed in the hippocampus as a result of excitotoxicity. In addition, tPA is produced in the hippocampus primarily by microglial cells, which become activated in response to the neuronal injury. Blocking microglial activation has been shown in other injury paradigms to protect against neuronal death, therefore suggesting another way to retard neurodegeneration in the CNS. Furthermore, after the insult has been inflicted and in the presence of a compromised blood-brain barrier macrophages (cells deriving from the same lineage as microglia) migrate into the brain, where they are thought to contribute to the neuronal cell loss by secreting neurotoxic molecules. If these macrophages/microglia expressed, however, a tPA inhibitor, rather than the possibly neurotoxic tPA, they might be able to protect the neurons from dying.
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PMID:Clinical implications of the involvement of tPA in neuronal cell death. 918 75

The structural and functional properties of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) that are involved in the mitogenic effect of this proteolytic enzyme on human melanoma cells M14 and IF6 and the role of the u-PA receptor (u-PAR) in transducing this signal were analyzed. Native u-PA purified from urine induced a mitogenic response in quiescent IF6 and M14 cells that ranged from 25 to 40% of the mitogenic response obtained by fetal calf serum. The half-maximum response in M14 and IF6 cells was reached at u-PA concentrations of approximately 35 and 60 nM, respectively. Blocking the proteolytic activity of u-PA resulted in a 30% decrease of the mitogenic effect, whereas inhibition of plasmin activity did not alter the mitogenic effect. No mitogenic response was elicited by low molecular weight u-PA, lacking the growth factor domain and the kringle domain. The ATF domain of u-PA induced a mitogenic response that was similar to complete u-PA. Defucosylated ATF and recombinant u-PA purified from Escherichia coli lacking all post-translational modifications did not induce a mitogenic response. Blocking the interaction of u-PA with u-PAR, using a specific monoclonal antibody, did not alter the mitogenic effect induced by u-PA. The binding of radiolabeled u-PA to M14 and IF6 cells was characterized by high affinity binding mediated by u-PAR and low affinity binding to an unknown binding site. These results demonstrate that proteolytically inactive u-PA is able to induce a mitogenic response in quiescent melanoma cells in vitro by a mechanism that involves the ATF domain but is independent of high affinity binding to u-PAR. Furthermore, it suggests that u-PA is able to bind with low affinity to a hitherto unidentified membrane associated protein that could be involved in u-PA-induced signal transduction.
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PMID:Mitogenic effects of urokinase on melanoma cells are independent of high affinity binding to the urokinase receptor. 983 98

Recent studies have implicated tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) in neurodegeneration. We studied multiple sclerosis (MS) brain tissue for tPA gene and protein expression in comparison with reference tissue, by in situ hybridisation and immunohistochemistry. MS is characterised by demyelination in the central nervous system. In this study, neuronal cell bodies in MS brain showed high expression of tPA mRNA and protein, while in reference brains, staining for protein and mRNA expression were very low in neurons and mostly restricted to blood vessel walls. In MS, there was an additional staining of mononuclear cells within perivascular cuffs and foamy macrophages within demyelinating plaques. In view of evidence that the final process of demyelination in MS is thought to be enzyme-mediated, our work suggests the involvement of tPA and by inference plasmin, in the demyelinating process. Blocking tPA or plasmin activity may be a potentially beneficial therapeutic approach in MS.
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PMID:Tissue plasminogen activator gene expression in multiple sclerosis brain tissue. 1042 51

Here, we describe a new function for plasmin and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which is to regulate the regression of capillary tubes in three-dimensional extracellular matrix environments. Using a well-described capillary morphogenesis system in three-dimensional collagen matrices, a new model of capillary regression has been established by adding plasminogen to the culture medium. Plasminogen is converted to plasmin by endothelial cell plasminogen activators which then induces matrix metalloproteinase-dependent collagen gel contraction and capillary regression. Plasminogen addition results in activation of MMP-1 and MMP-9, which then results in collagen proteolysis followed by capillary regression. The endothelial cells undergo apoptosis following gel contraction as detected by flow cytometric analysis as well as by detectable caspase-3 cleavage and caspase-dependent cleavage of the actin cytoskeletal regulatory protein, gelsolin. In addition, directly correlating with the contraction response, tyrosine phosphorylation of p130cas, an adapter protein in the focal adhesion complex, is observed followed by disappearance of the protein. Proteinase inhibitors that block MMPs (TIMP-1 or TIMP-2), plasminogen activators (PAI-1) or plasmin (aprotinin) completely block the gel contraction and regression process. In addition, chemical inhibitors of MMPs that block capillary regression also block MMP-1 and MMP-9 activation suggesting that a key element in this regression response is the molecular control of MMP activation by endothelial cells. Blocking antibodies directed to MMP-1 or MMP-9 interfere with capillary regression while blocking antibodies directed to PAI-1 accelerate capillary regression suggesting that endogenous synthesis of PAI-1 negatively regulates this process. These data present a novel system to study a new mechanism that may regulate regression of capillary tubes, namely, plasmin and MMP-mediated degradation of extracellular matrix.
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PMID:Matrix metalloproteinase-1 and -9 activation by plasmin regulates a novel endothelial cell-mediated mechanism of collagen gel contraction and capillary tube regression in three-dimensional collagen matrices. 1118 Nov 75

During melanoma progression, migrating cells must cross human dermis, a type I collagen-rich tissue. We have show that MMP-1 and MMP-2 act in a cumulative manner in the in vitro invasion of a three-dimensional type I collagen matrix by melanoma cells. Two melanoma cell lines (M1Dor and M3Da) previously reported to secrete proMMP-2 in a direct relationship with their tumorigenic potential into nude mice were used (F. Capon et al., 1999, Clin. Exp. Metastasis 17, 463-469). The highly tumorigenic cell line (M3Da) displayed a five-fold faster migration rate in type I collagen matrix, compared to its lower tumorigenic counterpart (M1Dor). In parallel, activation of proMMP-2 was evidenced in M3Da- but not M1Dor-populated collagen lattices. Such enzyme activation was associated with a significant decrease in TIMP-2 and TIMP-1 production. Agents known to interfere with proMMP-2 activation, i.e., excess TIMP-2, furin convertase inhibitor, and alphavbeta3 blocking antibody, reduced by 30-40% the type I collagen invasive capacity of M3Da cells. By comparison, batimastat, a wide-spectrum MMP inhibitor, exhibited a more pronounced inhibitory effect (>70%). It suggested that other collagenases than MMP-2 could participate in type I collagen invasion. Collagenase-3 (MMP-13) was produced at low levels by melanoma cells whatever the cell culture conditions. In contrast, M3Da and M1Dor cells secreted collagenase-1 (MMP-1) following 48 h of culture on plastic dishes. Growing melanoma cells in type I collagen gel did not modify enzyme production, but induced proMMP-1 activation in M3Da but not M1Dor cell-populated lattices. Blocking the plasmin-mediated proMMP-1 activation by aprotinin inhibited type I collagen gel invasion by 30%. Since the combination of aprotinin and furin convertase inhibitor reduced collagen invasiveness by melanoma cells to a level comparable to that attained with batimastat, we conclude that both MMP-2 and MMP-1 are involved in such tissue invasion.
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PMID:Cumulative influence of matrix metalloproteinase-1 and -2 in the migration of melanoma cells within three-dimensional type I collagen lattices. 1159 33

Binding of streptokinase (SK) to plasminogen (Pg) induces conformational activation of the zymogen and initiates its proteolytic conversion to plasmin (Pm). The mechanism of coupling between conformational activation and Pm formation was investigated in kinetic studies. Parabolic time courses of Pg activation by SK monitored by chromogenic substrate hydrolysis had initial rates (v(1)) representing conformational activation and subsequent rates of activity increase (v(2)) corresponding to the rate of Pm generation determined by a specific discontinuous assay. The v(2) dependence on SK concentration for [Lys]Pg showed a maximum rate at a Pg to SK ratio of approximately 2:1, with inhibition at high SK concentrations. [Glu]Pg and [Lys]Pg activation showed similar kinetic behavior but much slower activation of [Glu]Pg, due to an approximately 12-fold lower affinity for SK and an approximately 20-fold lower k(cat)/K(m). Blocking lysine-binding sites on Pg inhibited SK.Pg* cleavage of [Lys]Pg to a rate comparable with that of [Glu]Pg, whereas [Glu]Pg activation was not significantly affected. The results support a kinetic mechanism in which SK activates Pg conformationally by rapid equilibrium formation of the SK.Pg* complex, followed by intermolecular cleavage of Pg to Pm by SK.Pg* and subsequent cleavage of Pg by SK.Pm. A unified model of SK-induced Pg activation suggests that generation of initial Pm by SK.Pg* acts as a self-limiting triggering mechanism to initiate production of one SK equivalent of SK.Pm, which then converts the remaining free Pg to Pm.
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PMID:Coupling of conformational and proteolytic activation in the kinetic mechanism of plasminogen activation by streptokinase. 1521 39

The ras oncogenes are among those most frequently found in human cancers. Blocking Ras farnesylation is a promising strategy for arresting cancer growth. Ras activates several signaling pathways with key roles in cellular proliferation, invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis. Furthermore, proteolytic activities of matrix proteinases such as urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are regulated by Ras isoforms. Thus, we investigated the effects of SCH-66336, a farnesyltransferase inhibitor, on secretion of components of the plasminogen activation system as well as on the gelatinases MMP-2 and MMP-9, which play pivotal roles in matrix remodeling. SCH-66336 up to 5 microM did not significantly alter the viability of prostate (PC-3) and renal (Caki-1) cancer cells incubated in serum-depleted medium. SCH-66336 partly inhibited the processing of H-Ras, while levels of mature N-Ras and K-Ras remained unaffected. Under these noncytotoxic conditions, uPA and tPA levels were lowered in culture medium but raised in cell lysates, suggesting inhibition of trafficking pathways. In contrast, SCH-66336 had no effect on uPAR expression or on secreted PAI-1 levels. As expected, the reduction of uPA and tPA activities by SCH-66336 inhibited the conversion of plasminogen to plasmin by about 25% in PC-3 cells. SCH-66336 also inhibited the levels of secreted pro-MMP-2 and pro-MMP-9 as well as the release of their inhibitors TIMP-1 and TIMP-2. SCH-66336 decreased both the adhesion and even more so the migration of PC-3 cells on gelatin. Thus, SCH-66336 inhibited farnesylation in both cancer cell types, and H-Ras functions should be reduced by the drug. In addition, the lower levels of secreted proteinases in the presence of SCH-66336 suggest that reduced matrix remodeling and cell migration should occur in treated tumors.
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PMID:Farnesyltransferase inhibitor SCH-66336 downregulates secretion of matrix proteinases and inhibits carcinoma cell migration. 1560 18

Plasmin(ogen) kringles 1 and 4 are involved in anchorage of plasmin(ogen) to fibrin and cells, an essential step in fibrinolysis and pericellular proteolysis. Their contribution to these processes was investigated by selective neutralization of their lysine-binding function. Blocking the kringle 1 lysine-binding site with monoclonal antibody 34D3 fully abolished binding and activation of Glu-plasminogen and prevented both fibrinolysis and plasmin-induced cell detachment-induced apoptosis. In contrast, blocking the kringle 4 lysine-binding site with monoclonal antibody A10.2 did not impair its activation although it partially inhibited plasmin(ogen) binding, fibrinolysis and cell detachment. This remarkable, biologically relevant, distinctive response was not observed for plasmin or Lys-plasminogen; each antibody inhibited their binding and activation of Lys-plasminogen to a limited extent, and full inhibition of fibrinolysis required simultaneous neutralization of both kringles. Thus, in Lys-plasminogen and plasmin, kringles 1 and 4 act as independent and complementary domains, both able to support binding and activation. We conclude that Glu-/Lys-plasminogen and plasmin conformations are associated with transitions in the lysine-binding function of kringles 1 and 4 that modulate fibrinolysis and pericellular proteolysis and may be of biological relevance during athero-thrombosis and inflammatory states. These findings constitute the first biological link between plasmin(ogen) transitions and functions.
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PMID:Functional hierarchy of plasminogen kringles 1 and 4 in fibrinolysis and plasmin-induced cell detachment and apoptosis. 1597 44


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