Urokinase-like plasminogen activator increased in plasma after alcohol drinking

After taking the local Japanese spirit 'Shochu', 'Sake' and beer, increased plasma fibrinolysis was confirmed in normal persons at about 1 hr after for both the pyro-Glu-Gly-Arg-pNA amidolytic and Glu-plasminogen activating activities in eluates from [N alpha-(epsilon-aminocaproyl)-DL-homoarginine hexylester;)]-Sepharose affinity column. The activity was highest in the Shochu group, followed by the Sake and beer groups with an approximately 2.1-, 1.7- and 1.5-fold increase in fibrinolytic activity, respectively, compared to the control. The enzyme could be further purified using urokinase-IgG-Sepharose immunoadsorbent column from the Shochu group and it reacted with and was inhibited by urokinase specific antibody. The main molecular weight of the active enzyme was about 30,000, and those of minor components were about 50,000 and 100,000, as determined by zymography. These findings suggest that some of the enzymes appearing in the plasma after drinking are related to 'urokinase-like plasminogen activator', being endogenously produced.