PLASMINOGEN ACTIVATORS AND PLASMINOGEN-ACTIVATOR INHIBITOR IN PORTAL BLOOD FROM PATIENTS WITH AND WITHOUT GASTRIC MALIGNANCY

Background: Plasminogen activators (PA) may be released by the gut and eliminated by the liver. Patients with liver disorders or malignancy often have abnormal plasma levels of PAs. Some tumours may produce PAs . Methods: In patients undergoing gastric surgery for malignant (n = 1 8) or benign (n = 21) disorders, blood drawn from the portal vein and a peripheral vein was analysed for tissue-type plasminogen activator a ntigen and activity (tPA:Ag, tPA:Act), single-chain urokinase-type pla sminogen activator activity (scuPA:Act), and plasminogen activator inh ibitor antigen and activity (PAI:Ag, PAI:Act). Results and Conclusions : In both groups tPA:Act and scuPA:Act levels were significantly highe r in portal blood than in peripheral blood, but tPA:Ag and PAI:Act lev els did not differ. PAI:Act levels were significantly lower in patient s with malignant disease, but levels of the other markers did not diff er in the two groups.