Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.21.73 (urokinase-type plasminogen activator)
 10,685 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

This study delineates the regulatory effects of inflammatory cytokines on mononuclear phagocyte plasminogen activator (PA) activity. The mechanisms by which mononuclear phagocytes modulate PA activity are described. Mononuclear phagocytes regulate net PA activity by the balanced expression of urokinase-type PA (uPA), in either secreted or membrane-associated forms, and a specific plasminogen activator inhibitor, PAI-2. Therefore, understanding how immunomodulators regulate macrophage PA activity requires that the comparative effects of uPA and PAI-2 be elucidated. We determine how recombinant interferon-gamma (IFN) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) regulate plasminogen activation in monoblast-like U937 cells and normal human monocytes. In U937 cells, both IFN and TNF induced concurrent increases in secreted PA and PA inhibitor activities. These effects were accompanied by increased immunoreactive uPA and PAI-2 in conditioned media (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and steady-state levels of cellular uPA and PAI-2 mRNA (Northern analysis). To determine the relative abilities of IFN and TNF to either promote or inhibit plasmin generation, we directly compared the effects IFN and TNF, using optimal stimulating concentrations. IFN induced PA activity to 180% of the level achieved by TNF. In contrast, IFN elicited only 78% of the PA inhibitor produced by TNF stimulation. These differences in secreted activity can be explained by the shift in balance between uPA and PAI-2 proteins. Immunoreactive uPA was induced equally by IFN and TNF, but TNF generated higher levels of PAI-2. The same overall pattern of results was seen in normal human monocytes. IFN and TNF differ greatly in the ability to augment receptor-bound PA activity in U937 cells, as IFN induced a twofold increase but TNF had no effect. We conclude that IFN and TNF modulate mononuclear phagocyte proteolytic activity through coordinate regulation of secreted and receptor-bound uPA, balanced against concurrent expression of PAI-2. These effects are cytokine specific, as IFN is superior to TNF in stimulating expression of both secreted and receptor-associated PA activities. These properties suggest mechanisms by which mononuclear phagocytes control proteolysis in cytokine-rich inflammatory foci.
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PMID:Urokinase expression in mononuclear phagocytes: cytokine-specific modulation by interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. 131 45

To investigate the role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) in advanced collagenolysis and degradation of connective tissue components in preterm parturition, the effects of human recombinant TNF alpha (hrTNF alpha) on the production of matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP-1)/tissue collagenase, MMP-3/stromelysin, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP), urokinase type-plasminogen activator (uPa) and prostaglandin (PG) E2 in human chorionic cells were examined in vitro. Human chorionic cells, but not amniotic cells, were found to respond to macrophage-conditioned medium (contains mainly interleukin 1) to produce MMP-1 and MMP-3. This indicated that the chorionic cell is one of the MMP-producing cells of fetal membranes. When confluent chorionic cells were treated with hrTNF alpha, the production of MMP-1 and MMP-3 as well as of uPa and PGE2 was greatly increased in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, the production of TIMP was suppressed by hrTNF alpha. These results suggested that TNF alpha may participate in destruction of collagen and other connective tissue matrix components of fetal membranes and in promotion of uterine contractility in preterm parturition with intraamniotic infection.
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PMID:Tumor necrosis factor-alpha stimulates the biosynthesis of matrix metalloproteinases and plasminogen activator in cultured human chorionic cells. 131 22

The potential contribution of serine/threonine-specific protein phosphatases in the transcriptional regulation of plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor gene expression was explored in human HT-1080 fibrosarcoma and U-937 monocyte-like cells using okadaic acid, a potent and specific inhibitor of phosphatases 1 and 2A (PP1 and PP2A). In both cell types okadaic acid induced plasminogen activator type 2 (PAI-2) gene transcription and mRNA and potentiated induction mediated by phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate and tumor necrosis factor. Okadaic acid-mediated induction of PAI-2 was inhibited by 8-bromo-cAMP in HT-1080 cells but not in U-937 cells. Okadaic acid had opposite effects on urokinase (u-PA) gene expression in the two cell lines; u-PA mRNA and gene transcription was suppressed in HT-1080 cells but transiently induced in U-937 cells. Tissue-type PA (t-PA) mRNA, although undetectable in U-937 cells, was also suppressed by okadaic acid in HT-1080 cells. This effect was selective, as constitutive and phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate-mediated expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 mRNA was not modulated by okadaic acid in either cell type. These results indicate that PP1 and PP2A protein phosphatases are involved in signal transduction pathways modulating PAI-2, u-PA, and t-PA, and furthermore, that okadaic acid interaction with the protein kinase C and A pathways are gene- and cell type-specific.
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PMID:Cell- and gene-specific interactions between signal transduction pathways revealed by okadaic acid. Studies on the plasminogen activating system. 131 13

Agents that can arrest cellular proliferation are now providing insights into mechanisms of growth factor action and how this action may be controlled. It is shown here that the macrophage activating agents tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha), interferon-gamma (IFN gamma), and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) can maximally inhibit colony stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1)-induced, murine bone marrow-derived macrophage (BMM) DNA synthesis even when added 8-12 h after the growth factor, a period coinciding with the G1/S-phase border of the BMM cell cycle. This inhibition was independent of autocrine PGE2 production or increased cAMP levels. In order to compare the mode of action of these agents, their effects on a number of other BMM responses in the absence or presence of CSF-1 were examined. All three agents stimulated BMM protein synthesis; TNF alpha and LPS, but not IFN gamma, stimulated BMM Na+/H+ exchange and Na+,K(+)-ATPase activities, as well as c-fos mRNA levels. IFN gamma did not inhibit the CSF-1-induced Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity. TNF alpha and LPS inhibited both CSF-1-stimulated urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) mRNA levels and u-PA activity in BMM, whereas IFN gamma lowered only the u-PA activity. In contrast, LPS and IFN gamma, but not TNF alpha, inhibited CSF-1-induced BMM c-myc mRNA levels, the lack of effect of TNF alpha dissociating the inhibition of DNA synthesis and decreased c-myc mRNA expression for this cytokine. These results indicate that certain biochemical responses are common to both growth factors and inhibitors of BMM DNA synthesis and that TNF alpha, IFN gamma, and LPS, even though they all have a common action in suppressing DNA synthesis, activate multiple signaling pathways in BMM, only some of which overlap or converge.
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PMID:Biochemical events accompanying macrophage activation and the inhibition of colony-stimulating factor-1-induced macrophage proliferation by tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interferon-gamma, and lipopolysaccharide. 133 37

Fibrin gels form within the alveolar and interstitial compartments of the injured lung, and fibroblasts invade and facilitate organization of these transitional gels. We studied the effects of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) on fibrinolytic and procoagulant activities of human lung fibroblasts (HLF) to determine their capacity to regulate pulmonary fibrin deposition. Fibrinolytic activity of cell lysates and media (n = 6 HLF cultures) were uniformly depressed by TGF-beta or TNF-alpha. In dose and time-course studies, HLF plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) was increased by TGF-beta, whereas TNF-alpha induced release of PAI-1 into the media. HLF and media urokinase concentrations were depressed by TGF-beta, whereas urokinase was unchanged or increased by TNF-alpha. Tissue plasminogen activator was mainly cell associated and unchanged by TGF-beta or TNF-alpha. HLF antiplasmin activity was not detected. Plasma recalcification times of HLF media were decreased by TNF-alpha but unchanged by TGF-beta. These studies suggest that TGF-beta and TNF-alpha impair the ability of HLF to degrade fibrin by disturbing the balance of HLF plasminogen activators and PAI and that these cytokines concurrently leave unchanged or increase the capacity of HLF to initiate fibrin formation. Cytokines likely to occur in the injured lung induce abnormalities of fibrinolysis in HLF from adults; such abnormalities favor extravascular fibrin deposition, a characteristic feature of alveolitis.
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PMID:Mechanisms of fibrin formation and lysis by human lung fibroblasts: influence of TGF-beta and TNF-alpha. 141 27

Aged rats are more susceptible to endotoxin-induced effects, including microthrombosis and platelet aggregation, than are young rats. To investigate whether changes in the fibrinolytic system might be involved, we investigated the fibrinolytic activity in plasma euglobulin fractions and tissues (lung and heart) of young (6-months old) and aged (24-months old) rats under baseline conditions and after challenge with endotoxin. Aged rats had lower plasma levels of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and of urokinase-type PA (u-PA) activity. PA inhibitor (PAI) activity was higher in the plasma of aged rats, as was t-PA activity in lung and heart. Rats were treated with either a low dose (1 microgram/kg) or a high dose (10 mg/kg) of endotoxin. Both treatments induced a transient phase of increased blood fibrinolytic activity, as evidenced by higher levels of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) activity and decreased levels of PA inhibitor (PAI) activity. Over time, the fibrinolytic activity decreased, probably due to increased levels of PA inhibitor. Both the early increase in t-PA activity, and the subsequent increase in PAI activity, were more pronounced in the aged rats, as compared with the younger rats, after the high dose of endotoxin. The aged rats also responded to an injection of interleukin-1 beta or tumor necrosis factor-alpha with a larger increase of PAI activity than did the younger rats. Together the data suggest that, compared to young rats, aged rats have a decreased base-line plasma fibrinolytic activity, while their fibrinolytic system is more responsive to challenge by endotoxin and cytokines.
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PMID:On the fibrinolytic system in aged rats, and its reactivity to endotoxin and cytokines. 150 12

We have examined the prognostic value of the levels in the blood of granulocyte elastase-alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor (E-alpha 1-PI) complex, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) in 35 patients with severe infection upon admission to an Intensive Care Unit. Fourteen patients died. No differences for E-alpha 1-PI complex were found between survivors and nonsurvivors, but in all patients the levels on admission were eight-fold higher than the reference value. TNF-alpha levels, measured by immunoassay, on admission were four times higher in the nonsurvivors than in the survivors (p = 0.0003) and correlated with the severity of the disease (APACHE II score, r = 0.43, p less than 0.05). TNF-alpha was not detectable by bioassay. Total u-PA antigen (u-PA Ag), plasmin-activatable single-chain u-PA (scu-PA) and inactive, nonactivatable u-PA (u-PA#) were on admission all two-fold higher in the nonsurvivors (p = 0.0006, 0.003 and 0.0003, respectively), while normal in the survivors. In both, survivors and nonsurvivors, the ratio between scu-PA and u-PA Ag was significantly decreased (p less than 0.001, compared to a reference group of healthy volunteers), indicative for enhanced conversion of scu-PA to active two-chain u-PA (tcu-PA) and inactive u-PA# during severe infectious disease. tcu-PA was detected in nine of the 35 patients, while virtually undetectable in controls. scu-PA correlated with the Child-Pugh score on admission (r = 0.42, p less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Granulocyte elastase, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and urokinase levels as prognostic markers in severe infection. 151 67

Diffuse alveolar damage, presenting clinically as adult respiratory distress syndrome, is characterized initially by widespread intra-alveolar fibrin deposition. Alveolar epithelial cells play a central role in the subsequent repair process. We have recently shown that alveolar epithelial cells have the capacity to promote fibrinolysis (Marshall, B. C., Sageser, D. S., Rao, N. V., Emi, M., and Hoidal, J. R. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 8198-8204) and may therefore directly participate in the extensive remodeling that follows acute lung injury. Because the tissue repair process occurs in an acute inflammatory setting, we investigated the effects of inflammatory mediators on urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) expression by pulmonary epithelial cells. We found that interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) upregulated PA activity in A549 human pulmonary epithelial cells. Biosynthetic labeling and immunoprecipitation showed that both cytokines caused marked accumulation of newly synthesized u-PA. Northern blot analyses demonstrated that both IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha induced relatively rapid accumulation of u-PA mRNA which did not require de novo protein synthesis and was substantially inhibited by glucocorticoids. Nuclear run-off transcription studies showed that both cytokines caused rapid transcriptional activation of the u-PA gene. While the effects of IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha were qualitatively similar, some differences emerged. Most notably, TNF-alpha led to a more sustained accumulation of u-PA mRNA than did IL-1 beta. In contrast to their effects on u-PA expression, IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha had minimal effect on PA inhibitor-1 expression. These effects of IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha, mediators known to play a key role in acute lung injury and inflammation, may promote lysis of alveolar fibrin by alveolar epithelium, thereby aiding in restoration of normal lung architecture.
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PMID:Pulmonary epithelial cell urokinase-type plasminogen activator. Induction by interleukin-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. 159 74

Several investigators have reported that tumor necrosis factor (TNF) can alter the production of plasminogen activator type-1 (PAI-1) and plasminogen activators (PAs) by endothelial cells in vitro. We have examined the in vivo effects of recombinant human TNF administration on fibrinolysis as assessed by parameters in plasma during a 24-hour period of continuous TNF infusion to 17 cancer patients with active disease. The plasma levels of PAI activity increased sevenfold after 3 and 24 hours of TNF infusion. This was the result of an increase of PAI-1 antigen; PAI-2 antigen was not detectable. Plasma concentrations of tissue-type PA (t-PA) antigen increased twofold to fivefold after 3 and 24 hours of TNF infusion, whereas urokinase-type PA antigen levels in plasma remained unaltered. After 3 hours of TNF infusion the plasma levels of alpha 2-antiplasmin were slightly decreased, 5% on average, suggesting that fibrinolysis continued. After 24 hours of TNF infusion a highly significant increase in fibrin- plus fibrinogen-degradation products, and separately of fibrin degradation products and fibrinogen degradation products, was found. This indicates that fibrinolysis persisted, at least partly, in the presence of high levels of PAI activity. Whereas PAI-1 production increased, t-PA production by human endothelial cells in vitro remains unaltered or even decreases on TNF addition. It has been shown previously that TNF infusion in our patients results in thrombin and fibrin generation. Therefore, it is possible that thrombin, not TNF, is the actual stimulus for t-PA production in our patients. We speculate that fibrin is formed during TNF infusions and that plasmin is generated by t-PA action immediately on the initial formation of (soluble) fibrin molecules. Such a process may explain the generation of degradation products of both fibrin and fibrinogen during infusion of TNF in patients.
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PMID:Progress of fibrinolysis during tumor necrosis factor infusions in humans. Concomitant increase in tissue-type plasminogen activator, plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1, and fibrin(ogen) degradation products. 170 65

Vascular endothelial cells undergo morphological and functional changes at sites of cell-mediated immune responses which may serve to promote the pathogenesis of inflammation. These changes, described as "endothelial cell activation" can be invoked by a variety of cytokines which include interleukin I (IL-1), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We report here on the regulation of the plasminogen activator (PA) proteolytic system by human recombinant TNF alpha in short term cultures (less than 4 passages) of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). TNF alpha treatment of HUVECs enhanced the production of 55 kDa urokinase (u) PA activity and uPA antigen by fourfold, in a concentration dependent manner (5-100 U/ml), following a 24 h treatment as determined by PA zymography and micro-ELISA assays, respectively. This response was specific for uPA since, no change in extracellular tissue type PA activity and tPA antigen levels were noted under analogous conditions. A similar 4-fold increase in the de novo synthesis of [35S]-methionine radiolabeled uPA was observed by immunoprecipitation following a 24 h TNF treatment. The induction of uPA by TNF was inhibited by actinomycin D and cycloheximide implying the necessity of RNA and protein synthesis, respectively. The effect of TNF could not be prevented by the addition of IL-1 neutralizing antibodies. Therefore, it is unlikely that TNF acts through the induction of IL-1 secretion. Time course studies using PA zymography indicate that within 8 h after TNF exposure, a 2-fold increase in uPA activity above untreated basal levels was observed. Upregulation of extracellular uPA production in HUVECs following TNF treatment suggests yet a new aspect of cellular and interstitial PA regulation in endothelium during inflammation and angiogenesis.
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PMID:Tumor necrosis factor induction of urokinase-type plasminogen activator in human endothelial cells. 180 6


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