Effect of plasmin on fibrinogen and fibrin

¹ Yamins Research Laboratory, Beth Israel Hospital, and Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts

The interactions of plasmin with I¹³¹-labeled fibrinogen and fibrin were compared. These substrates appear to be equally susceptible to the enzyme, as judged from the amount of trichloroacetic acid nonprecipitable material resulting from the interaction. The velocity of the interactions appears different when material was subsequently recovered by dilution of the reaction mixture with water or with physiological saline. It is possible that plasmin, before digesting fibrinogen, affects its clottability adversely.

Key Words: proteolytic activity • antithrombin activity • nonclottable fibrinogen • velocity of fibrin digestion • plasmin, fibrinogen, fibrin interaction • plasmin protease activity • plasmin proteolysis of fibrinogen, fibrin

Submitted on June 13, 1963