SEX-RELATED DIFFERENCES OF PLASMINOGEN-ACTIVATOR ACTIVITY AND PLASMINOGEN-ACTIVATOR INHIBITION IN THE GASTRIC WALL AFTER CHRONIC ETHANOL-CONSUMPTION - EFFECT OF ORCHIECTOMY OR OVARIECTOMY

Plasminogen activator activity (PAA), tissue-type PA (t-PA) antigen le vel, plasminogen activator inhibition (PAI), and plasmin inhibition (P I) showed no sex-dependent differences in the stomach of the rat. Chro nic ethanol consumption induced an increase of PAA and t-PA antigen an d a decrease of PAI (urokinase-type PA [u-PAI]) and PI in the body and pyloric region (PI only in the pyloric region). PAA increase and u-PA I decrease in the pyloric region were greater in the male than in the female. Orchidectomy, but not ovariectomy, induced effects similar to those of ethanol. The effects of orchidectomy and chronic ethanol cons umption on gastric PAA, t-PA antigen, and PAI were additive. An increa sed PAA and decreased PAI or PI in the stomach in cases of hypogonadis m, particularly if this deficiency is combined with chronic ethanol co nsumption, might influence the susceptibility to pathological conditio ns related to or affected by the local fibrinolytic activity (PAA, PAI , or PI).