Clinical and animal studies indicate that APSAC (anisoylated plasminogen.streptokinase activator complex, Eminase) circulates longer in the bloodstream in an active form than the other thrombolytics. In the present studies in vitro u/e have found that functional activity of APSAC is maintained in human plasma longer than that of SK.plasmin(ogen): the relative stability half-lives are similar to the plasma clearance haif-lives in patients. Some of the loss of activity of SK at early times can be attributed to neutralisation by inhibitors. Thus, the survival of fibrinolytically-active SK was promoted in plasma depleted in α2-antiplasmin (α2AP) and α2AP-SK.plasmin complexes (detected by immunoblotting) formed rapidly in normal plasma. Corresponding studies with α2 macroglobulin-depleted plasma suggested a slight, late influence on SK activity but the inhibitor complex has not been detected unequivocally. In addition, loss of SK activity can be attributed, in part, to. rapid degradation to low molecular products. The degradation of SK in APSAC was much slower. In other comparative studies, the stability of APSAC was found to be similar to the stability of prourokinase and much superior to that of SK which is similar to UK; t-PA is intermediate in stability.Maintenance of fibrinolytic activity vivo depends on the stability of the thrombolytic, its rate of clearance and mode of administration. The protective effect of acylation, demonstrated in these experiments, explains why the objective of maintaining a high level of fibrinolytic activity after intravenous bolus injection of APSAC is less compromised by opposing inactivation processes.
In vitro factors affecting the concentration of gamma-LpE (γ-LpE) in human plasma
