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Thrombin and the thrombin-thrombomodulin complex interaction with plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1
R M Madden1, E G Levin, R A Marlar
1Laboratory Services, Denver VA Medical Center, CO 80220.
Thrombin, the final enzyme of the coagulation system, also influences profibrinolytic activity by several mechanisms. These include cellular release of tissue plasminogen activator, activated protein C-induced fibrinolysis, and inactivation of plasminogen activator inhibitor, type 1 (PAI-1). In this report, the role of thrombin in the regulation of PAI-1 is investigated. Our studies demonstrate that thrombin inactivation of PAI-1 occurs via an enzymatic mechanism rather than an enzyme-inhibitor complex mechanism. Evidence to support this conclusion is: (1) concomitant analysis of PAI-1 and thrombin activities demonstrate decreased PAI-1 activity but no loss of thrombin activity; (2) no visible thrombin--PAI-1 complexes by SDS-PAGE analysis; and (3) lack of formation of 125I-thrombin-PAI-1 complexes. Thrombomodulin, a thrombin binding cofactor that modifies thrombin's functions, did not influence the inactivation of PAI-1 by thrombin. We propose that thrombin enzymatically inactivates PAI-1 without forming a stable enzyme-inhibitor complex. The reaction is not affected by thrombomodulin. Overall this reaction occurs so slowly that it is not physiologically relevant without some modifying factor(s).
Thrombin, the final enzyme of the coagulation system, also influences profibrinolytic activity by several mechanisms. These include cellular release of tissue plasminogen activator, activated protein C-induced fibrinolysis, and inactivation of plasminogen activator inhibitor, type 1 (PAI-1). In this report, the role of thrombin in the regulation of PAI-1 is investigated. Our studies demonstrate that thrombin inactivation of PAI-1 occurs via an enzymatic mechanism rather than an enzyme-inhibitor complex mechanism. Evidence to support this conclusion is: (1) concomitant analysis of PAI-1 and thrombin activities demonstrate decreased PAI-1 activity but no loss of thrombin activity; (2) no visible thrombin--PAI-1 complexes by SDS-PAGE analysis; and (3) lack of formation of 125I-thrombin-PAI-1 complexes. Thrombomodulin, a thrombin binding cofactor that modifies thrombin's functions, did not influence the inactivation of PAI-1 by thrombin. We propose that thrombin enzymatically inactivates PAI-1 without forming a stable enzyme-inhibitor complex. The reaction is not affected by thrombomodulin. Overall this reaction occurs so slowly that it is not physiologically relevant without some modifying factor(s).