Quantitation of the factor VII- and single-chain plasminogen activator-activating protease in plasmas of healthy subjects

• Published in: Blood coagulation & fibrinolysis Vol. 12; no. 5; pp. 375 - 383
• Main Authors: Römisch, J, Feussner, A, Stöhr, H A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc 01-07-2001; The Scientist
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Blood coagulation. Blood cells; Blotting, Western; Coagulation factors; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Molecular and cellular biology; Recombinant Proteins - drug effects; Recombinant Proteins - metabolism; Serine Endopeptidases - blood; Serine Endopeptidases - chemistry; Serine Endopeptidases - pharmacology; Sex Factors; Time Factors; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator - chemistry; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator - drug effects; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator - metabolism; Human; Medicine; Plasma; Coagulation; Plasminogen; Coagulation factor; Carrier protein; Polymorphism; Factor VII
• ISSN: 0957-5235; 1473-5733
• DOI: 10.1097/00001721-200107000-00007

Plasma samples of 189 healthy subjects were investigated for antigen levels of the recently reported factor VII- and single-chain plasminogen activator-activating protease (FSAP) and the corresponding pro-urokinase activating potencies. While the age of donors had no significant effect on the investigated parameters, female plasmas revealed a trend to higher antigen contents and activity levels. Surprisingly, as much as 9% of all samples contained significantly reduced single-chain urinary plasminogen activator activating potential, whereas antigen concentrations were normal. Additionally, 1% of the plasmas was found to decrease in both FSAP antigen and activity contents. FSAP of three subjects displaying reduced activities throughout a follow-up period of 6 months were purified from plasmas and were characterized. As compared with pool plasma derived FSAP, investigation of the individual preparations confirmed their reduced potency to activate pro-urokinase. However, factor VII activation was not affected. It is speculated that the FSAP binding site for single-chain plasminogen activators is affected, potentially by as yet unknown polymorphism(s) or mutation(s).