[Anti-activator inhibitors of plasminogen]

Plasminogen Activator Inhibitors (PA Inhibitor) have recently been identified in plasma. They are directed against t-PA and Urokinase. Two PA Inhibitors have been described: PA Inhibitor 1 from endothelial cells, hepatocytes and platelets and PA Inhibitor 2 from placenta. Enzymatic assays have been developed. They show that plasma levels of PA Inhibitor are very low under normal conditions, but a considerable increase (X10 or 20) is found in several pathological conditions (thrombo embolic disease, atherosclerosis, thrombotic risk factors (obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, diabetes) inflammatory syndrome, post operative period for PA Inhibitor 1, and in some physiological conditions (pregnancy for PA Inhibitor 2). These results plead for a pathogenic role of PA Inhibitor 1 in the development of thrombosis. Pharmacological products able to decrease the plasma level of PA Inhibitor are as yet scarce. Stanozolol, an anabolic steroid, some biguanides such as Metformin possess this property.