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)

Lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) is a low density lipoprotein-like particle which contains the plasminogen-like apolipoprotein a. Lp(a) levels are elevated in patients with atherosclerotic coronary artery disease. Recent studies suggest that Lp(a) competitively inhibits plasminogen binding to the endothelial cell and interferes with surface-associated plasmin generation. In this study, we present evidence for the presence of Lp(a) in the microvasculature of inflamed tissue. In addition, we demonstrate that Lp(a) regulates endothelial cell synthesis of a major fibrinolytic protein, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). In cultured human endothelial cells, Lp(a) enhanced PAI-1 antigen, activity, and steady-state mRNA levels without altering tissue plasminogen activator activity or mRNA transcript levels. This effect was cell-specific. Although other lipoproteins did not coordinately raise PAI-1 mRNA levels in endothelial cells, low density lipoprotein treatment selectively raised the level of the 3.4-kilobase mRNA species of PAI-1 without a concomitant increase in PAI-1 activity or antigen. Endothelial cell exposure to Lp(a) did not cause generalized endothelial cell activation since the functional activity and mRNA levels for tissue factor, platelet-derived growth factor and interleukin-6 were not elevated following Lp(a) exposure. These data suggest a molecular mechanism whereby Lp(a) may support a specific prothrombotic endothelial cell phenotype, namely by increasing PAI-1 expression.
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PMID:Lipoprotein (a) regulates plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 expression in endothelial cells. A potential mechanism in thrombogenesis. 182 42

The human tumor cell line HT-1080 was used as a model system to study the effects of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta) on polypeptide synthesis and proteolytic activity of malignant cells. Confluent cultures were exposed to TGF beta under serum-free conditions, and alterations in the production of proteins were examined by metabolic labeling and polypeptide analysis. TGF beta induced the synthesis and secretion of the Mr 47,000 endothelial type plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) as shown by reverse zymography, immunblotting, and immunoprecipitation analyses. TGF beta-induced PAI-1 was rapidly deposited in the growth substratum of the cells as shown by metabolic labeling and extraction of the cultures with sodium deoxycholate. Using pulse-chase experiments, we found a relatively fast turnover of substratum-associated PAI-1. Exogenously added urokinase released PAI-1 from the substratum even in the presence of the plasmin inhibitor aprotinin, suggesting a direct effect of urokinase. Immunoreactive complexes of higher molecular weight were subsequently detected in the medium. Epidermal growth factor, transforming growth factor-alpha, platelet-derived growth factor, and insulin did not elicit similar effects on the amount of PAI-1. TGF beta also inhibited the anchorage-independent growth of HT-1080 cells at the same concentrations at which it induced PAI-1. These results indicate that TGF beta can modulate the extracellular proteolytic activity of cultured cells by enhancing the secretion and deposition of PAI-1 into their microenvironment. It remains to be established whether TGF beta inhibition of anchorage-independent growth of these cells is associated with the induction of PAI-1.
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PMID:Transforming growth factor-beta induction of type-1 plasminogen activator inhibitor. Pericellular deposition and sensitivity to exogenous urokinase. 312 97

This brief overview discusses the ability of mediators associated with vascular injury, such as interleukin-1 beta and tumour necrosis factor alpha, to activate vascular smooth muscle cells to produce nitric oxide or a related donor of nitric oxide. The cytokines cause the synthesis of nitric oxide synthase(s), which catalyzes the conversion of L-arginine to nitric oxide and L-citrulline. The production of nitric oxide can be modulated by factors produced by vascular cells and formed elements of the blood (e.g. platelet-derived growth factor, transforming growth factor beta), but also by those generated at sites of vascular injury from inactive precursors circulating in the blood (e.g. thrombin, plasmin). The production of nitric oxide by vascular smooth muscle cells may contribute to the homeostasis of blood vessels at sites of injury. In particular, nitric oxide may prevent the local development of vasospasms, unwanted proliferation of smooth muscle cells, and also help to control coagulation and the formation of the thrombus.
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PMID:Role of the L-arginine-nitric oxide pathway in vascular smooth muscle. 750 37

Inappropriate vascular smooth-muscle cell (VSMC) growth is the hallmark of vascular pathology in essential hypertension and diabetic macroangiopathy, whereas platelets constitute an important regulator of vessel wall homeostasis because of their content of various growth factors. Numerous abnormalities exist in platelet functions in diabetes and hypertension, such as enhanced activity and altered adhesion and aggregation. Increased thromboxane (TX2) production is characteristic of diabetes, and an elevation of intracellular free Ca2+ is found in platelets of hypertensive patients. By studying the growth patterns of VSMC from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) vs. those obtained from their normotensive counterparts, Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats, we have demonstrated that VSMC from SHRs exhibited a higher specific growth rate, abnormal contact inhibition, and accelerated entry into the S phase of the cell cycle. Moreover, they were hyperresponsive to many growth factors such as calf serum, epidermal growth factor (EGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta 1), and insulin. Additive effects were observed for EGF and PDGF or EGF and insulin. These intrinsic growth anomalies in cells of hypertensive origin persist in culture indicating their putative primary role in the pathogenesis of hypertension. Endogenous TGF beta 1 revealed an augmented expression of its message levels in SHR VSMC, the difference in mRNA between both strains being more pronounced at high cell density. Further, TGF beta 1 protein synthesis and secretion in VSMC culture were confirmed by immunoprecipitation of de novo labeled TGF beta 1. At high cell density, which most likely represents the physiological state of VSMC, plasmin, an activator of TGF beta 1, significantly stimulated DNA synthesis of VSMC in both strains. The reverse effect was obtained at low cell density. Yet, the fold stimulation was higher in WKY rats, suggesting that TGF beta 1 may be partially activated in SHR VSMC. This is supported by the inhibition of baseline DNA synthesis by TGF beta 1 neutralizing antibody in VSMC of hypertensive origin and not of normotensive controls. TGF beta 1 antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) nearly normalized the increased proliferation of SHR VSMC in culture. On the other hand, growth-promoting activity (GPA) in platelets of either diabetic or hypertensive patients was higher than in platelets of healthy controls and was found to be normalized by intensive insulin therapy in insulin-dependent diabetic patients. In hypertensive patients, however, hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ)--even in low doses (25 mg/day)--enhanced the GPA in platelets, whereas other antihypertensive agents such as indapamide, atenolol, and captopril, had neutral effects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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PMID:Platelets, growth factors, and vascular smooth-muscle cells in hypertension and diabetes. 750 64

Monoamine-activated alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M) has been shown to inhibit beta-nerve growth factor (NGF)-promoted neurite outgrowth and the survival of embryonic sensory and forebrain neurons, whereas normal alpha 2M has little or no such activity. The objective of this study is to elucidate the mechanism of inhibition by monoamine-activated alpha 2M. Methylamine-activated alpha 2M (MA-alpha 2M) and serotonin-activated alpha 2M (5HT-alpha 2M) dose dependently inhibit NGF-promoted neurite outgrowth of the pheochromocytoma PC12 cell and its subline PC12(6-24) which overexpresses human trk protooncogene product, but have no effect on their viability, and this inhibition can be blocked by high concentrations of NGF. The binding of MA-alpha 2M to trk, which is a part of high-affinity NGF receptor, was studied with PC12(6-24) cells and NIH-3T3 fibroblasts expressing trk (trk-3T3). In each case MA-alpha 2M readily forms stable complexes with trk in vivo, whereas normal alpha 2M does not. Both 5HT-alpha 2M and MA-alpha 2M also dose dependently block NGF-promoted autophosphorylation of trk in vivo, whereas normal alpha 2M and plasmin-reacted alpha 2M are inactive or much less active. MA-alpha 2M also blocks NGF-promoted incorporation of 32P from [32P]ATP into trk receptors in vitro. Neither MA-alpha 2M, 5HT-alpha 2M, nor normal alpha 2M, however, blocks either platelet-derived growth factor-stimulated or epidermal growth factor-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of the respective receptors. Tyrosine phosphorylation of two of the intracellular substrates, phospholipase C-gamma 1 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase-2, in the NGF-promoted pathways is also dose dependently blocked by MA-alpha 2M. However, by comparison MA-alpha 2M is more effective in inhibiting the activation of phospholipase C-gamma 1 than trk. We conclude that monoamine-activated alpha 2M may block neurite outgrowth and neuronal survival by its specific binding to NGF receptors, thus inhibiting the NGF-promoted activation of intracellular second messenger pathways.
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PMID:Monoamine-activated alpha 2-macroglobulin binds trk receptor and inhibits nerve growth factor-stimulated trk phosphorylation and signal transduction. 750 36

Nitric oxide is a multifunctional regulator of the vascular system. In healthy blood vessels, nitric oxide is produced from L-arginine by the constitutive nitric oxide synthase in endothelial cells. In addition, vascular injury or inflammation cause the production of nitric oxide in most types of vascular cells, including vascular smooth muscle. This response to injury is due to the induction of a second type of nitric oxide synthase by cytokines such as interleukin-1 beta or tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Factors derived from blood (thrombin, plasmin) and from vascular cells (platelet-derived growth factor, transforming growth factor beta, insulin-like growth factor, epidermal growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor), regulate the induction of nitric oxide synthesis in vascular smooth muscle cells. The endogenous production of nitric oxide by vascular smooth muscle at sites of injury may contribute to the local control of blood flow, vascular tone and blood fluidity. It may participate also to the remodeling of the injured blood vessel wall.
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PMID:Inducible nitric oxide synthase in vascular smooth muscle. 751 15

The role of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9, 92 kDa gelatinase/type IV collagenase) in invasion of mononuclear phagocytes was studied with U937 monoblastoid cells. 12-o-tetradecanoyl 13-phorbol acetate (TPA) differentiated them to macrophage-like cells with induction of MMP-9, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) and interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) stimulated the production of MMP-9 by TPA-treated cells. TNF alpha also induced the production of MMP-9 by TPA-untreated U937 cells without morphological differentiation. Other agents including dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), all-trans-retinoic acid (all-trans-RA), platelet-derived growth factor and 3';5'-cyclic monophosphate had no effects on MMP-9 production by TPA-treated or -untreated cells, but all-trans-RA and DMSO did have a morphological effect on the differentiation of the cells. These data suggest that MMP-9 production by U937 cells is regulated by a mechanism independent of the differentiation to macrophage-like cells. MMP-9 was purified to homogeneity as an inactive zymogen with M(r) 92,000 (proMMP-9) from TPA-differentiated U937 cells treated with TNF alpha. ProMMP-9 was activated by p-aminophenylmercuric acetate (APMA) generating an active species of M(r) 67,000. Trypsin and cathepsin G also attained activation of the zymogen to its full activity obtained by APMA activation, but plasmin, leukocyte elastase, thrombin and plasma kallikrein had no ability to activate it. APMA-activated MMP-9 degraded type I gelatin readily and cleaved native collagen types III, IV and V. Invasion assays using reconstituted basement membrane coupled with a type IV collagenolysis assay showed good correlations between invasiveness, type IV collagenolysis and proMMP-9 production. Invasion was significantly inhibited by EDTA, alpha 2-macroglobulin and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1, but not by inhibitors of cathepsin G and leukocyte elastase. These data suggest that MMP-9 plays an important role in the invasion of mononuclear phagocytes through basement membranes.
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PMID:Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (92 kDa gelatinase/type IV collagenase) from U937 monoblastoid cells: correlation with cellular invasion. 831 9

The process of intimal thickening after de-endothelializing injury to the rat carotid artery is dependent on the migration of smooth muscle cells from the media. Recent reports have suggested that platelet-derived growth factor may be an important mediator of migration after injury. We have addressed this issue by directly determining smooth muscle cell migration in injured arteries of animals depleted of platelets and after administration of an antibody that blocks platelet-derived growth factor. Because there is a reported association between plasminogen activator synthesis and smooth muscle cell migration, we assayed the activity levels of plasminogen activators after arterial injury and also assessed the effect of a plasmin inhibitor on migration. The data suggest that platelet-derived growth factor, released by platelets at sites of arterial injury, is an endogenous mediator of smooth muscle cell migration; that plasmin generation, catalyzed by tissue-type plasminogen activator, is necessary for migration; and that one way in which platelet-derived growth factor may act is by stimulation of the synthesis of tissue-type plasminogen activator by smooth muscle cells.
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PMID:Role of endogenous platelet-derived growth factor in arterial smooth muscle cell migration after balloon catheter injury. 834 97

Squash inhibitors of serine proteinases form an uniform family of small proteins. They are built of 27-33 amino-acid residues and cross-linked with three disulfide bridges. The reactive site peptide bond (P1-P1') is between residue 5 (Lys, Arg or Leu) and 6 (always Ile). High resolution X-ray structures are available for two squash inhibitors complexed with trypsin. NMR solution structures have also been determined for free inhibitors. The major structural motif is a distorted, triple-stranded antiparallel beta-sheet. A similar folding motif has been recently found in a number of proteins, including: conotoxins from fish-hunting snails, carboxypeptidase inhibitor from potato, kalata B1 polypeptide, and in some growth factors (e.g. nerve growth factor, transforming growth factor beta 2, platelet-derived growth factor). Squash inhibitors are highly stable and rigid proteins. They inhibit a number of serine proteinases: trypsin, plasmin, kallikrein, blood clotting factors: Xa and XIIa, cathepsin G. The inhibition spectrum can be much broadened if specific amino-acid substitutions are introduced, especially at residues which contact proteinase. Squash inhibitors inhibit proteinases via the standard mechanism. According to the mechanism, inhibitors are substrates which exibit at neutral pH a high kcat/K(m) index for hydrolysis and resynthesis of the reactive site, and a low value of the hydrolysis constant.
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PMID:Squash inhibitor family of serine proteinases. 892 25

Progressive interstitial fibrosis accompanied by loss of renal tubules and interstitial capillaries typifies all progressive renal diseases. Dynamic and complex, the process evidently overlaps with matrix remodeling; it may even be reversible. The interstitial fibrous tissue comprises several normal and novel matrix proteins, proteoglycans, and glycoproteins. Interstitial myofibroblasts are a major site of matrix protein overproduction, although resident fibroblasts, tubular cells, and inflammatory cells may contribute. Inadequate matrix degradation also appears to contribute to the fibrogenic process. Two protease cascades, the metalloproteinases and the plasminogen activator/ plasmin family of serine proteases, are implicated in the turnover of interstitial matrix proteins; upregulated expression of protease inhibitors has been observed in each. Increased tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 levels suggest that the intrinsic renal activity of the metalloproteinases and serine proteases are inhibited while matrix proteins accumulate in the interstitium. Several signals that may direct the interstitial fibrogenic process have been identified, but not yet proved to cause it. Upregulated expression of transforming growth factor beta-1, the proteotypic fibrogenic cytokine, has been observed in experimental and human models; it probably does not act alone. There may be supportive roles for platelet-derived growth factor, interleukin-1, basic fibroblast growth factor, angiotensin II, and endothelin-1. Although it is not known why interstitial fibrosis compromises renal function, atrophy of renal tubules may be pivotal. Ischemic necrosis and/or apoptosis may generate nonfunctioning atubular and sclerotic glomeruli. Future studies must delineate the molecular basis of the differences between renal repair and renal destruction by fibrosis, two processes that share many common features.
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PMID:Molecular insights into renal interstitial fibrosis. 898 27


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