Quantification of plasminogen activators and their inhibitors in the aortic vessel wall in relation to the presence and severity of XXXX .

@entity1 @entity2289 @entity39 @entity865 @entity731 @entity2290
Increased expression of @entity2289 ( @entity2289 ) has been demonstrated in the @entity1 @entity731 vessel wall and may contribute to the impaired plasma fibrinolytic capacity in @entity1 at high risk of atherothrombotic events. In addition, the mural PA/plasmin system may have important pathobiologic functions during atherogenesis. We quantitatively analyzed PAs of the tissue type (TPA) and urokinase type ( @entity2290 ), PAIs, and plasminogen in protein extracts from different layers of @entity1 aorta in relation to the presence and severity of @entity731 . In comparison with normal control vessels, intimal and neointimal @entity865 concentrations were reduced in @entity731 aortas except in the @entity39 core areas of advanced plaques, where TPA was mainly complexed to @entity2289 in extracellular matrix deposits. In the media, TPA antigen was higher in lesional segments and closely associated with smooth muscle cells. @entity2290 antigen was increased in the intima of @entity731 and colocalized with tissue-infiltrating macrophages and neointimal smooth muscle cells. By spectrophotometric assay, neither TPA nor @entity2290 activity could be detected in intimal or medial extracts. @entity2289 concentrations increased significantly in the intima of @entity731 segments compared with adjacent uninvolved areas or control aortas. The immunohistochemical distribution of @entity2289 was similar to that observed for TPA. A large excess of @entity2289 over PA concentrations, particularly in the intimal layer, characterizes @entity731 of the @entity1 aorta and suggests that PA action is locally confined and counterbalanced by enhanced PAI expression and accumulation.
