Effect of Bentonite on Fibrinolytic System in Serum

Summary

Treatment of serum with bentonite led to a reduced content of inhibitors of trypsin and urokinase in the isoelectrically precipitated euglobulin, and removed fibrinolytic agents and precursors from serum. Bentonite-treated serum added to untreated serum reduced precipitation of the above inhibitors, and presumably also precipitation of inhibitors against a plasminogen activator of serum.

Bentonite-treated serum (whether from pig, ox, guinea-pig, or man), added to untreated guinea-pig serum, produced fibrinolytic activity on isoelectric precipitation of the mixture; the activity of the euglobulin was due to an activator of plasminogen as well as an active protease, probably plasmin. The described effects of bentonite-treated serum are similar to those previously reported for anionic polyelectrolytes. Possible mechanisms are discussed.

The “non-specific” activation of fibrinolytic activity by means of bentonite emphasizes that guinea-pig serum [which is characterized by a high potential for “nonspecific” activation of its fibrinolytic system Olesen (1962)] contains all the elements required for the formation of an activator of plasminogen, and thus the activation of its plasminogen to plasmin.

• References

• Astrup T, Müllertz S. The fibrin plate method for estimating fibrinolytic activity. Arch. Biochem. 40: 346-351 1952;
• Astrup T, Olesen E. S. Partial purification and fibrinolytic effect of a factor in peptone. Danish med. Bull. 04: 159-160 1957;
• Astrup T, Sterndorff I. A fibrinolytic system in human milk. Proc. Soc. exp. Biol. (N. Y.) 84: 605-608 1953;
• Bozicevich J, Bunim J. J, Freund J, Ward S. B. Bentonite flocculation test for rheumatic arthritis. Proc. Soc. exp. Biol. (N. Y.) 97: 180-183 1958;
• Doerr R. Über Anaphylaxie. Wien. klin. Wschr. 25: 331-340 1912;
• Jobling J. W, Eggstein A. A, Petersen W. Serum proteases and the mechanism of the Abderhalden reaction. J. exp. Med. 21: 239-249 1915;
• Jobling J. W, Petersen W. The mechanism of anaphylatoxin formation. J. exp. Med. 20: 37-51 1914;
• Keysser F, Wassermann M. Über Toxopeptide. II. Mitteilung. 2. Hyg. Infekt.- Kr. 68: 535-550 1911;
• Lassen M. Heat dénaturation of plasminogen in the fibrin plate method. Acta physiol. scand. 27: 371-376 1952;
• Niewiarowski S. L’adsorption des facteurs du système fibrinolytique par la bentonite. Path. Biol. (Par) 07: 2557-2565 1959;
• Niewiarowski S, Prou-Wartelle O. Rôle du facteur contact (facteur Hageman) dans la fibrinolyse. Thrombos. Diathes. haemorrh. (Stuttg) 03: 593-602 1959;
• Oiesen E. S. Peptone activation of a serum fibrinolytic system. Acta pharmacol. 15: 197-206 1959a
• Olesen E. S. Effect of acid polysaccharides on the fibrinolytic system in guinea-pig serum. Acta pharmacol. 15: 307-318 1959b
• Olesen E. S. Effect of anionic poly electrolytes on the fibrinolytic system in guinea-pig serum. Acta pharmacol. 16: 38-45 1959c
• Olesen E. S. Fibrinolytic activity induced in guinea-pig serum by protamine and quaternary ammonium bases. Acta pharmacol. 17: 191-199 1960;
• Olesen E. S. Variations in non-specific activation of fibrinolytic system in sera of different species. Acta pharmacol. 19: 73-86 1962;
• Plaut F. Über Adsorptionserscheinungen bei dem Abderhaldenschen Dialysierverfahren. Münch. med. Wschr. 61: 238-241 1914;
• Ungar G, Mist S. H. Observations on the release of serum fibrinolysin by specific antigen, peptone, and certain polysaccharides. J. exp. Med. 90: 39-51 1949;