Identification of plasminogen activator releasing activity in the neurohypophysis

Vasopressin (AVP) and some of its synthetic analogues, for example 1 desamino 8-D-AVP (DDAVP), induce plasminogen activator (PA) release in vivo. It has been proposed that this occurs via the release from the central nervous system of a plasminogen activator releasing hormone (PARH). The present study shows that a crude extract of bovine posterior pituitary, but not of the anterior pituitary or of the hypothalamus, induces a marked increase of circulating PA in anaesthetized rats. PA release appears to be caused by AVP because no other PA releasing activities could be identified in or isolated from the extract. In addition, no PA-releasing activity was found in extracts of pituitary glands of rats congenitally deficient in vasopressin. The following experiments did not reveal central nervous system involvement in the PA-release caused by AVP or DDAVP. Perfusion of isolated organs (rat heart and rat liver) with AVP resulted in PA-release. In squirrel monkeys, comparable PA levels were found in the venous return following intrafemoral or intracarotid injection of AVP. Moreover, when plasma obtained 2 min following AVP or DDAVP injection was transfused to a receiving animal no PA release was observed. Thus our present findings do not support the hypothesis that the fibrinolytic response to AVP is mediated by the release of a specific peptide hormone from the central nervous system.