Monocyte plasminogen activator inhibitor 2 (PAI-2) inhibits u-PA-mediated fibrin clot lysis and is cross-linked to fibrin

Plasminogen activator inhibitor 2 (PAI-2) is a major product of activated h uman monocytes. Here we show that monocytes inhibited u-PA- but not t-PA-me diated fibrinolysis, by secreting PAI-2 into an overlying fibrin clot. Extr acts of arterial and venous human thrombi were found to contain active PAI- 2. PAI-2 was cross-linked to fibrin in a reaction catalyzed by two major tr ansglutaminases (TG), tissue TG and factor XIII. The activity of PAI-2 was not affected by such cross-linking. Cross-linking of PAT-2 to fibrin was in hibited by Tridegin, a specific inhibitor of TG, and also by EDTA and iodoa cetamide, The use of competitive peptides mimicking the loop between helice s C and D of PAI-2 identified Gin 83 and 86 as residues important in crossl inking. This study defines a mechanism by which PAI-I, is localized to fibr in, where it acts as an effective inhibitor of u-PA-mediated fibrinolysis.