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Related Experiment Videos

Thrombin and its precursor in human cerebrospinal fluid

I V Smirnova1, A Salazar, P M Arnold

  • 1Neurobiology Research Laboratory, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Kansas City, MO 64128, USA.

Thrombosis and Haemostasis
|January 10, 1998
PubMed
Summary

Thrombin, a blood clotting enzyme, impacts brain cells. Researchers found no active thrombin in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), but measured prothrombin (thrombin precursor) in all groups, with lower levels in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Biochemistry
  • Pathology

Background:

  • Thrombin, a key enzyme in blood coagulation, affects neuronal and astrocyte function, potentially contributing to central nervous system (CNS) pathology.
  • Understanding thrombin's role in CNS disorders requires investigating its presence and precursor levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To measure active thrombin and activatable prothrombin levels in the CSF of individuals across various neurological conditions.
  • To explore the potential diagnostic or prognostic value of prothrombin levels in CNS disorders, particularly traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Main Methods:

  • Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were collected from 67 individuals across six groups: non-neurologic controls, spinal degenerative disease, peripheral nerve disease, CNS disorders, TBI, and neurodegenerative disorders.

Related Experiment Videos

  • A sensitive chromogenic assay using a thrombin-specific substrate (S-2238) was employed to quantify thrombin and prothrombin levels.
  • Prothrombin was measured after activation by ecarin, a snake venom prothrombinase.

    • Main Results:

    • No active thrombin was detected in any CSF samples.
    • Activatable prothrombin was present in all study groups.
    • Mean activatable prothrombin concentrations varied across groups, with a statistically significant reduction observed in the traumatic brain injury (TBI) group compared to controls (p <0.05).

    Conclusions:

    • Prothrombin, the precursor to thrombin, enters the CSF, potentially across the blood-brain barrier (BBB).
    • Reduced CSF prothrombin levels in TBI patients may serve as a valuable diagnostic or prognostic biomarker.
    • Further research is warranted to elucidate the precise mechanisms of prothrombin entry into the CSF and its implications in neurological conditions.