Activation of factor XII in plasma from rats pretreated with tranexamic acid. Inhibition of a plasmin-induced loss of the functional activity of high molecular weight kininogen

Separation of Plasma Kallikrein and a Kallikrein-like Plasminogen Activator Generated by Acetone in Rat Plasma

Plasminogen activator (PGA), kininogenase (Kase) and benzoyl arginine ethyl ester (BAEe) activities generated in plasminogen-free rat plasma by incubation with acetone (23% v/v) at 22 degrees were purified. The activities passed unadsorbed through columns of DEAE-Sephadex A-50 (pH 7.8) and arginine methylester-Sepharose 4B (pH 8.5). Part of the activities (rat plasma kallikrein) was adsorbed onto a soybean trypsin inhibitor (SBTI)-Sepharose 4B column at pH 8.5. At pH 7.0 a fraction with higher ratios PGA/BAEe esterase and Kase/BAEe esterase was also adsorbed. Both fractions could be eluted with 5 mM sodium hydroxide. The fraction not adsorbed at pH 8.5, but adsorbed at pH 7.0 was designated low molecular weight plasminogen activator (LMr-PGA), a plasminogen activator fraction with higher molecular weight, but without esterase activity being also present (Berstad & Briseid 1982). LMr-PGA was strongly inhibited by tranexamic acid (AMCA) 0.10 mM, whereas the fraction designated rat plasma kallikrein was not. By polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis Mr-values in the range 120,000 to 130,000 were established for native samples of both rat plasma kallikrein and LMr-PGA, whereas Mr-values of 78,000 to 80,000 were established after treatment with SDS.

Inhibition by low molecular weight dextran of the blood pressure fall and the lowering of plasminogen proactivator induced by clinical dextran in the rat

The intravenous injection into rats of dextran with a molecular weight of 1,000 (LMr dextran) in doses greater than or equal to 200 mg/kg induced rapid, but transient falls in blood pressure. Pretreatment of the rats with LMr dextran 200 mg/kg caused a partial inhibition of the profound blood pressure fall induced by the injection of clinical dextran with a molecular weight of 70,000 (HMr dextran), 40 mg/kg. In accordance with previous works (Briseid & Berstad 1981; Berstad & Briseid 1982; Berstad 1982) it was found that the intravenous injection of HMr dextran lowered the plasma levels of plasminogen proactivator (pro-PGA) and functionally active high molecular weight kininogen (HMrK). Also LMr dextran, 200 mg/kg, induced significant reductions in the mentioned parameters, but less extensive than those obtained by HMr dextran, 40 mg/kg, and pretreatment of the rats with LMr dextran inhibited the subsequent effects of HMr dextran. It is suggested that a dextran-activated plasminogen activator might be an early link in the mechanism underlying the dextran-induced state of shock in the rat.

Dextran-induced lowering of plasminogen proactivator and functionally active high molecular weight kininogen in the rat

Incubation of plasminogen-free rat citrated plasma with acetone (23% v/v) yielded enzyme preparations with high levels of plasminogen activator (PGA) and kininogenase (kallikrein), but with a low concentration of high molecular weight kininogen (HMWK) active as cofactor for kaolin-induced activation of factor XII. When benzamidine (4.0 mM) was present during acetone activation, a high yield of functionally active HMWK was obtained. Gel chromatography separated PGA into one high molecular weight fraction (HMW-PGA) without kininogenase and BAEe esterase activity, and one fraction (LMW-PGA) eluting together with plasma kallikrein. Injection of dextran (100 mg/kg intravenously) reduced the amount of LMW-PGA to 40%, without altering the concentration of HMW-PGA, and with only a small reduction of the kininogenase activity.

Activation of factor XII in rat plasma: protection by benzamidine of the cofactor function of high molecular weight kininogen

Factor XII has been assayed as kaolin-activated prekallikrein activator in rat citrated plasma pretreated with acetone (Briseid et al. 1978 & 1979; Briseid & Berstad 1979). In the present work benzamidine added during blood collection increased the extent of activation by a factor of 6. Rat high molecular weight kininogen (HMWK) added to acetone-treated citrated plasma likewise increased the activation, providing evidence of the protection by benzamidine of the cofactor function of HMWK. All cofactor capacity was retained after the removal of the kinin part of HMWK. Experiments carried out with plasminogen-free plasma showed that plasmin could hardly be the the factor responsible for the destruction of HMWK. The stoichiometric factor XII concentration-effect curve obtained by diluting acetone-treated rat plasma with acetone-treated human factor XII deficient plasma showed that factor XII is present in functional excess, the concentration of HMWK deciding the extent of activation. By diluting acetone-treated rat plasma with buffer, HMWK concentration-effect curves were obtained which were approximately linear over a range of 0.03-0.40 microgram (bradykinin equivalents) per ml kaolin incubate. No further activation of factor XII was obtained at 0.80 microgram/ml.

Effect of serotonin antagonists on the dextran-induced anaphylactoid reaction in the rat

Dextran injected intravenously into rats causes a rapid lowering of the extent of activation of factor XII and of the plasma levels of prekallikrein and plasminogen, and at the same time a profound fall in blood pressure. The effects on these dextran-induced reactions of three serotonin antagonistic lysergic acid derivatives were studied in the rat: bromolysergic acid diethylamide (BOL 148), methysergide, and ergotamine. BOL 148 was found to be the only effective inhibitor of the blood pressure fall, possessing an inhibitory effect over the dose range 1.0-4.0 mg/kg intravenously. The finding supports the assumption that part of the dextran-induced blood pressure fall is mediated by serotonin through D-receptors. All three serotonin antagonists showed a serotonin-like lowering effect on the activation of factor XII and on the level of prekallikrein in plasma (BOL 148 1.0-4.0 mg/kg; methysergide 0.10-0.60 mg/kg; ergotamine 0.10-0.60 mg/kg). The results with the serotonin antagonist alone and in combination with dextran provided evidence that the serotonin-mediated part of the blood pressure fall can not be secondary to the effect of dextran on the plasma parameters assayed.

Dextran-induced anaphylactoid reaction in man: altered reactivity of high molecular weight kininogen

Normal levels of factor XII and of high and low molecular weight kininogens (HMWK and LMWK) were registered in plasma specimens from 5 individuals who had developed anaphylactoid reactions upon injection of dextran during surgery (dextran reactors, DR). Factor XII was assayed as prekallikrein activator (PKA) activated with kaolin at 0 degrees, and kininogen fractions were estimated through the release of kinin caused by plasma kallikrein or hog pancreas kallikrein (HPK). Subnormal levels of factor XII apparently present in plasma from one DR, and after affinity chromatography on a lysine-Sepharose column also in plasma from another DR, were normalized by addition of plasma deficient in factor XII or by addition of purified HMWK. Treatment of plasma from DR with acetone (25% v/v) induced a conversion of HMWK into a state which was non-functional as a cofactor in the surface-dependent activation of factor XII, and the passage of plasma from DR through a lysine-Sepharose column altered the HMWK present to a substance that released kinin only very slowly by incubation with HPK. It is concluded that the treatments mentioned will favour the activation in plasma from DR of a factor that will cause the conversion of HMWK. Previous experiments with rat plasma demonstrated that plasmin and also a plasmin-like factor without affinity for lysine-Sepharose were able to destroy the capacity of HMWK to function as a cofactor in the surface-dependent activation of factor XII, without a corresponding release of kinin.