Serum inhibitors in fibrinolysis

Four protease inhibitors have been identified in human serum and methods for their isolation are described. After removal of the euglobulin fraction, serum was submitted to ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration, and fractions were tested for inhibition of the lysis of plasminogen-deficient fibrin clots by plasmin, trypsin and elastase. In addition inhibitors of plasminogen activation were sought by studying the effects of separated fractions on the lysis of plasminogen-rich fibrin clots by urokinase. Examination by immunophoresis showed that three of the separated inhibitors were alpha2-macroglobulin, alpha1-antitrypsin and inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor. The fourth antiprotease was a powerful inhibitor of both urokinase-induced and plasmin-induced clot lysis, and was identified as an inter-alpha-globulin from its electrophoretic mobility in agarose gels.