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Thrombin Activatable Fibrinolysis Inhibitor (TAFI): An Updated Narrative Review
Machteld Sillen1, Paul J Declerck1
1Laboratory for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Antibodies, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, KU Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
Abstract:
Thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI), a proenzyme, is converted to a potent attenuator of the fibrinolytic system upon activation by thrombin, plasmin, or the thrombin/thrombomodulin complex. Since TAFI forms a molecular link between coagulation and fibrinolysis and plays a potential role in venous and arterial thrombotic diseases, much interest has been tied to the development of molecules that antagonize its function. This review aims at providing a general overview on the biochemical properties of TAFI, its (patho)physiologic function, and various strategies to stimulate the fibrinolytic system by interfering with (activated) TAFI functionality.
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