Chemotactic effect of urokinase plasminogen activator: a major role for mechanisms independent of its proteolytic or growth factor domains

Urokinase type plasminogen activator (uPA) converts plasminogen to plasmin and is highly chemotactic for many cell types. We examined, using recombinant wild type and mutated forms of uPA, the extent to which its proteolytic properties, its growth-like domain (GFD) and/or interactions with the specific receptor (uPAR) contribute to the chemotactic activity towards vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC). Recombinant wild type uPA (r-uPA) stimulated cell migration nearly 5.8-fold, inactive r-uPA, with a mutation in the catalitic domain (r-uPA(H/Q)), 3-fold, uPA without growth factor like domain (r-uPA(GFD )), 2.6-fold, and a form containing both mutations (r-uPA(H/Q, GFD ), 3.3-fold. All recombinant forms of uPA, wild type and those with mutations were equally and highly effective (IC50 approximately 20 nM) in displacing 125I-r-uPA bound to SMC. These results indicate that additional mechanisms, not dependent on uPA's proteolytic activity or the binding ability of its GFD to uPAR, are the major contributors to its chemotactic action on SMC.

[Distribution of recombinant pro-urokinase in the rabbit blocked carotid artery]

Distribution of recombinant pro-urokinase (PRU) in segments of blocked carotid arteries of rabbits was measured in 10, 20 and 30 minutes after i.v. administration of the RPU. Concentration of the latter in the bloodstream taken as 100% on the 3rd minute, after the infusion decreased to 42% in 10 min., 24% in 20 min., and 13% in 30 min. The RPU concentration decreased to 2% at the artery clamp point, to 20% at 10-15 cm from the clamp point, and remained constant for 10-30 min. A thrombolytic agent accumulated at the dead-end of the blocked artery, was not subject to rapid clearance in contrast to circulating pro-urokinase.

Urokinase plasminogen activator system in humans with stable coronary artery disease

1. The present study compares plasma urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) peptide levels, plasma plasminogen inhibitor (PAI-1) activity and urokinase receptors (uPAR) on peripheral blood monocytes of patients with stable coronary artery disease (SCAD) and healthy volunteers. 2. Urokinase plasminogen activator levels were analysed by ELISA and PAI-1 activity was determined by a plasmin generation method using the chromogenic substrate S2390. Relative uPAR numbers and the adhesion molecules CD11b/CD18 on peripheral blood monocytes were estimated using specific antibodies and flow cytometry. 3. Patients with SCAD were found to have higher plasma uPA peptide levels than age-matched healthy subjects (10.40 +/- 0.99 vs 8.25 +/- 0.53 pmol/L, respectively; P < 0.05). 4. Plasma PAI-1 activity was also higher in patients with SCAD than in healthy subjects (13.6 +/- 2.5 vs 5.2 +/- 1.0 IU/mL, respectively; P < 0.05). 5. Relative uPAR and CD11b/CD18 adhesion molecules were similar on peripheral blood monocytes of patients with SCAD and in healthy subjects. 6. The data indicate a pattern of expression/activity of uPA and PAI-1 in patients with SCAD suggestive of an impaired fibrinolytic ability.

[Urokinase induces adhesion of monocytes to fibrinogen]

Urokinase activates adhesion of monocytic U937 cells to fibrinogen-coated surface. This effect is due to urokinase proteolytic activity and does not depend on the urokinase binding to its receptor.

[Effect of growth factors (BFGF and PDGF) on urokinase secretion by smooth muscle cells]

The dependence of urokinase (uPA) secretion on basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and platelet-deprived growth factor (PDGF BB) was investigated by using of cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC). Growth factors stimulated secretion of urokinase with two-phase kinetics within 1-60 minutes. Namely, "apparent" concentration of uPA in the conditioned media rised to 12.5 nM within the first 1-2 min and 5.8 nM after 30 min of cell stimulation by growth factors, and decreased to basal level at 5 min after stimulation of the cells. The character of uPA-secretion kinetics was similar in response to both growth factors, but the level of secreted uPA was higher in case of PDGF BB. We have shown that this decrease of uPA content in conditioned media is not related to the binding of uPA to the cell surface receptors or extracellular matrix proteins. One can suppose that urokinase secreted within 5 minutes could bind to secretory protein which nature has to be identified. But it was established that this secretory protein, complexing urokinase in cultured media, is not identical to the plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1).