Fibrinolysis potentiating activity following endothelial cells-platelet interaction

When porcine endothelial cells in culture are incubated in the presence of human platelets, a 90kDa neutral proteinase activity is generated on casein gel (PECAP-Platelet Endothelial Cell Activated Protease). This activity was undetected when platelet extract or serum free EC conditioned medium were analysed under similar conditions. The optimum pH, isoelectric point, molecular weight and inhibitory profile of this activity were similar to Glu-plasmin. However, the low plasminogen content (less than 50ng/ml) in the conditioned medium of endothelial cells incubated with platelet could not contribute alone to this activity and the presence of a plasmin potentiating factor was suggested. This factor was separated from plasminogen by lysine-Sepharose chromatography.