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C Merskey

Publications and source records attributed to C Merskey.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Isolation of fibrinogen-fibrin related antigen from human plasma by immuno-affinity chromatography: its characterization in normal subjects and in defibrinating patients with abruptio placentae and disseminated cancer.

Highly purified fibrinogen-fibrin related antigen (FR-antigen) was isolated with good recovery from 1.0--2.0 ml of human plasma, by immuno-affinity chromatography with antibody specific for fibrinogen and fibrin, and plasmin degradation products X, Y, D and D-D dimer. In FR-antigen from defibrinating patients there was evidence for thrombin activity alone (mainly disseminated cancer) or both plasmin and thrombin (mainly abruptio placentae). Thus, the molar ratio of N-terminal Gly-Tyr in the FR-antigen of 18 of 20 patients strongly suggested thrombin activity (95th percentile). In addition, sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) on unreduced samples frequently showed bands similar in mol wt to fragments X, Y and D, and in the reduced samples A alpha and B beta chain degradation, both indicating plasmin activity. 'N-terminal beta chain Ala' was elevated in the antigen of four of 20 patients, also suggesting plasmin activity (99th percentile). Combined thrombin, plasmin and factor-XIII activity, as shown with high levels of serum FR-antigen (greater than 10 mg/dl). In some defibrinating patients, especially those with disseminated cancer, heterogeneity of unreduced FR-antigen and A alpha chain degradation, both indicators of mild plasmin-like activity which are commonly seen in normals, were absent.

Abruptio Placentae

Quantitative N-terminal analysis of fibrinogen-fibrin-related antigen [FR antigen] from human plasma.

Fibrinogen-fibrin-related antigen (FR antigen) was isolated from as little as 1 ml of human plasma by immuno-affinity chromatography with agarose-bound antibody to human fibrinogen. N-terminal analysis was performed to determine the nature and extent of proteolytic degradation of the FR antigen in patients with disseminated intravascular coagulation and in normal subjects. Thrombin cleavage of the A- and B-peptides from fibrinogen in vitro was monitored by the appearance of N-terminal glycine, and an increase in glycine was shown in the FR antigen of patients with disseminated intravascular coagulation. As plasmin progressively degraded fibrinogen, increases in N-terminal alanine, aspartic acid and lysine were observed, corresponding to the known plasmin-cleavage points of fibrinogen; increases in these N-terminal amino acids were also found in the patients' FR antigen. Thrombin treatment in vitro was used to remove fibrinopeptide A (N-terminal alanine) from the samples and to reflect specifically the N-terminal alanine at the plasmin-cleavage point (Arg-42-Ala-43) of the B beta-chain on assay; this alanine was increased progressively in the FR antigen of a patient during urokinase therapy, and was high in other patients when the FR antigen was examined by this procedure.

Alanine

Normal levels of fibrinopeptide A in patients with primary hyperlipidemia.

Fibrinopeptide A (FPA) levels were measured in a group of 130 controls and patients with various types of primary hyperlipidemia to investigate whether an increased steady state level of thrombin activity is present in hyperlipidemic patients. In a subset of 56 subjects, levels of clotting factors II, VII, and X were measured as well. FPA levels in hyperlipidemic patients were not significantly different from those of control subjects. Furthermore, on multiple regression analysis, no significant relationships were found between FPA levels and the concentrations of serum cholesterol or triglyceride, or log triglyceride levels. Statistically significant relationships were found between all three clotting factor levels and triglyceride concentration. The correlation coefficients for these relationships, however, were low, so that the correlations are of questionable pathophysiological significance. A weak relationship also was found between the plasma levels of cholesterol and of factor II. Thus, although small increases in various clotting factors may be found in patients with hyperlipidemia, plasma FPA levels are normal. These data indicate that hyperlipidemia is not associated with a steady state of increased thrombin activity in vivo in humans.

Cholesterol

Increased activity of vitamin K-dependent clotting factors in human hyperlipoproteinaemia - association with cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Levels of blood coagulation factors, cholesterol and triglyceride were measured in human plasma. Prothrombin was significantly elevated in type IIa hyperlipidaemia; prothrombin and factors VII, IX and X in type IIb; and prothrombin and factors VII and IX in type V. Multiple regression analysis showed significant correlation between the levels of these plasma lipids and the vitamin K-dependent clotting factors (prothrombin, factors VII, IX and X). Higher cholesterol levels were associated with higher levels of prothrombin and factor X while higher triglyceride levels were associated with higher levels of these as well as factors VII and IX. Prothrombin showed a significant cholesterol-triglyceride interaction in that higher cholesterol levels were associated with higher prothrombin levels at all levels of triglyceride, with the most marked effects in subjects with higher triglyceride levels. Higher prothrombin levels were noted in subjects with high or moderately elevated (but not low) cholesterol levels. Ultracentrifugation of plasma in a density of 1.21 showed activity for prothrombin and factors VII and X only in the lipoprotein-free subnatant fraction. Thus, a true increase in clotting factor protein was probably present. The significance of the correlation between levels of vitamin K-dependent clotting factors and plasma lipids remains to be determined.

Adult

Hyperlipidemia, hypercoagulability, and accelerated thrombosis: studies in congenitally hyperlipidemic rats and in rats and monkeys with induced hyperlipidemia.

Inbred Carworth Farms Nelson (CFN) congenitally hyperlipidemic rats had significantly shorter coagulation and prothrombin times and higher levels of coagulation factors, II, V, VII, VIII, and X than did controls. Conversely, congenitally hypolipidemic rats of the same strain had significantly longer coagulation and prothrombin times and lower levels of factors II, V, VII, X and XII and of blood platelets than did controls. A loop-shaped polyethylene cannula was inserted into the aorta to assess the potential for thrombosis. The hyperlipidemic group obstructed this significantly faster and the hypolipidemic group slower than did the controls. Normal CFN rats made hypertensive by unilateral renal artery clip developed hypertension together with significantly elevated serum cholesterol and factor VII and X levels. Rhesus monkeys with diet-induced hyperlipidemia showed shorter prothrombin times and higher factor X levels than did controls on normal diet. By selective breeding, two groups of squirrel monkeys were obtained. Both groups had similar serum cholesterol levels on a normal diet but one group (hyperresponders) showed higher serum cholesterol levels on a cholesterol-containing diet than did the other (hyporesponder) group. Both groups showed significantly elevated levels of factors II, V, VII, IX and X on a cholesterol-containing diet. There was good correlation between the levels of many coagulation factors and serum cholesterol in both rats and monkeys. If thrombosis is important in the genesis of atherosclerosis, these findings could indicate that elevation of plasma lipids may play a role, via the coagulation pathway, in the production of human vascular disease.

Animals

Increase in fibrinogen and fibrin-related antigen in human serum due to in vitro lysis of fibrin by thrombin.

In vitro lysis of fibrin, as indicated by increased fibrinogen-fibrin-related antigen (FR-antigen) in serum is usually seen when whole blood, or plasma, or highly purified fibrinogen prepared by several different procedures is clotted and kept at temperatures above 0 degrees C. This increase is both time and temperature dependent, occurs despite the addition of various plasmin and cathepsin inhibitors, and is probably caused by thrombin evolved during clotting and/or added in vitro. In these experiments, the FR-antigen was measured by a sensitive, reproducible hemagglutination inhibition immunoassay adapted to the AutoAnalyzer. Serum from whole blood contained more than serum from plasma, and fibrin rather than fibrinogen proved to be essential for the in vitro lysis. The phenomenon was also caused by Arvin or Reptilase, suggesting that splitting of one or more arginine or lysine bonds in fibrin may be at least partially responsible. To obtain minimal levels of FR-antigen (< 0.5 mug/ml), plasma is clotted for 4 hr at 0 degrees C with 1.0-5.0 U/ml thrombin, CaCl(2) (0.0125 mole/liter), and epsilon aminocaproic acid (0.05 mole/liter). Slightly higher levels, probably adequate for clinical diagnosis, are obtained by 10-30 min clotting at room temperature. Since endogenous and/or exogenous thrombin is essential for the collection of serum FR-antigen, all the FR-antigen found in normal serum probably results from an irreducible amount of in vitro lysis rather than from continuous intravascular clotting and fibrinolysis.

Aminocaproates

Defibrination.

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Blood Coagulation Disorders