Thromb Haemost 2006; 95(04): 637-642
DOI: 10.1160/TH05-07-0507
Blood Coagulation, Fibrinolysis and Cellular Haemostasis
Schattauer GmbH

Less pronounced enhancement of thrombin-dependent inactivation of plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 by low molecular weight heparin compared with unfractionated heparin

Ryuta Nakamura
1   Department of Pharmacology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
2   Department of Hospital Pharmacy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
3   Department of Physiology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
,
Kazuo Umemura
1   Department of Pharmacology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
,
Hisakuni Hashimmoto
2   Department of Hospital Pharmacy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
,
Tetsumei Urano
3   Department of Physiology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received 20 July 2005

Accepted after resubmission 02 March 2006

Publication Date:
30 November 2017 (online)

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Summary

Plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1), the primary inhibitor of plasminogen activators, also forms high molecular weight complexes with either thrombin or factor Xa (FXa) in the presence of heparin, resulting in the loss of mutual activities of enzyme and inhibitor.We have proposed that the inactivation of PAI-1 by these activated coagulation factors is one of the mechanisms responsible for coagulation-associated enhancement of fibrinolysis. In the present study, we compared the effects of low molecular weight (LMW)- and unfractionated-heparin on the interaction between PAI-1 and either thrombin or FXa. Both types of heparin enhanced the inhibition of thrombin activity by PAI-1 with a bell-shaped pattern, though the magnitude of the enhancement was significantly weaker with LMW-heparin. In FXa inhibition by PAI-1, only unfractionated-heparin enhanced the inhibition. In the presence of vitronectin (Vn), the inhibition of thrombin and FXa by PAI-1 was further promoted by both types of heparin but toa significantly lesser extent with LMW-heparin.We then analyzed the possible enhancing effect of heparin on tissue plasminogen activator (tPA)-induced fibrinolysis. As a consequence of thrombin-dependent inactivation of PAI-1, tPA-induced fibrin clot lysis time in the presence of PAI-1 was shortened by unfractionated-heparin as well as by LMW-heparin with lesser extent, which was further enhanced by Vn. Less pronounced enhancement of complex formation between thrombin and PAI-1 by LMW-heparin appeared to be directly related to the weaker potential of LMW-heparin in enhancing fibrinolysis and accelerating hemorrhagic tendency via neutralization of PAI-1 activity.