ENHANCEMENT OF FIBRINOLYTIC-ACTIVITY OF HUMAN PLASMA IN THE PRESENCE OF ACETONE

The fibrinolytic system was studied in normal human plasma containing increasing concentrations of acetone up to 23.4 mmoll(-1). Fibrinolyti c activity measured as euglobulin clot lysis time [ECLT] and amidase a ctivities toward chromogenic peptide substrates H-D-Valyl-L-Leucyl-L-L ysine-p-nitroanilide 2 HCl [S-2251], designed for plasmin determinatio n, H-D-Valyl-L-Phenylalanyl-L-Lysine-p-nitroanilide 2 HCl [S-2390], de signed for the determination of t-PA in plasma via plasminogen activat ion and -Prolyl-L-Phenyl-Alanyl-L-Arginine-p-nitro-anilide 2 HCl [S-23 02], designed for the determination of kallikrein and activated Hagema n factor, increased when 15.7 mmoll(-1) concentration of acetone was r eached. A parallel increase of esterolytic [substrate: naphthol-AS-ace tate] activity was observed in euglobulin fractions. Crossed immunoele ctrophoresis [CIE] revealed changes in fibrinogen profiles of plasma e nriched with acetone as compared to native plasma. These findings sugg est that acetone present in plasma in concentrations comparable to tho se found in some pathological states might activate fibrinolytic syste m.