Effective lysis of model thrombi by a t-PA mutant (A473S) that is resistant to alpha2-antiplasmin

Reprogrammed streptokinases develop fibrin-targeting and dissolve blood clots with more potency than tissue plasminogen activator

BACKGROUND

Given the worldwide epidemic of cardiovascular diseases, a more effective means of dissolving thrombi that cause heart attacks, could markedly reduce death, disability and healthcare costs. Plasminogen activators (PAs) such as streptokinase (SK) and tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) are currently used to dissolve fibrin thrombi. SK is cheaper and more widely available, but it appears less effective because it lacks TPA's fibrin-targeted properties that focus plasminogen activation on the fibrin surface.

OBJECTIVE

We examined whether re-programming SK's mechanism of action would create PAs with greater fibrin-targeting and potency than TPA.

METHODS AND RESULTS

When fibrinogen consumption was measured in human plasma, reprogrammed molecules SKDelta1 and SKDelta59 were 5-fold and > 119-fold more fibrin-dependent than SK (P < 0.0001), and 2-fold and > 50-fold more fibrin-dependent than TPA (P < 0.001). The marked fibrin-targeting of SKDelta59 was due to the fact that: (i) it did not generate plasmin in plasma, (ii) it was rapidly inhibited by alpha2-antiplasmin, and (iii) it only processed fibrin-bound plasminogen. To assess the fibrin-targeting and therapeutic potential of these PAs in vivo, a novel 'humanized' fibrinolysis model was created by reconstituting plasminogen-deficient mice with human plasminogen. When compared with TPA, SKDelta1 and SKDelta59 were 4-fold (P < 0.0001) and 2-fold (P < 0.003) more potent at dissolving blood clots in vivo, respectively, on a mass-dose basis and 2-3 logs more potent than TPA (P < 0.0001) when doses were calibrated by standard activity assays.

CONCLUSION

These experiments suggest that reprogramming SK's mechanism of action markedly enhances fibrin-targeting and creates, in comparison with TPA, activators with greater fibrinolytic potency.

TAFIa, PAI-1 and alpha-antiplasmin: complementary roles in regulating lysis of thrombi and plasma clots

PAI-1 and alpha(2)-antiplasmin (alpha(2)AP) are the principal direct inhibitors of fibrinolytic proteases. Thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI), a plasma procarboxypeptidase activated by thrombin-thrombomodulin to form TAFIa, also regulates fibrinolysis by modulating fibrin. In this study, the relative contributions of PAI-1, alpha(2)AP and TAFIa to inhibition of lysis were assessed. In platelet-poor plasma clots, alpha(2)AP, TAFIa and PAI-1 all inhibited lysis, as shown by the addition of neutralizing antibodies to alpha(2)AP and PAI-1 +/- CPI, a potato carboxypeptidase inhibitor. alpha(2)AP played the largest role in regulating plasma clot lysis, but neutralization of inhibitors in combinations was more effective in shortening lysis times, with a maximal effect when all three inhibitors were neutralized. In platelet-rich clots, a larger contribution of PAI-1 was evident. Tissue plasminogen activator induced lysis of model thrombi, made from whole blood, was approximately doubled on incorporation of CPI, illustrating a substantial contribution of TAFIa to inhibition of thrombus lysis. Similar increases in thrombus lysis were observed on inclusion of neutralizing antibodies to PAI-1 and alpha(2)AP, with alpha(2)AP playing the dominant role. Maximal thrombus lysis occurred upon neutralization of all three inhibitors. These observations suggest that, despite the differences in concentrations and activities of inhibitors, and the different modes of action, the roles of the three are complementary in both plasma clot lysis and thrombus lysis.

Evaluation of PAI-039 [{1-benzyl-5-[4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenyl]-1H-indol-3-yl}(oxo)acetic acid], a novel plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 inhibitor, in a canine model of coronary artery thrombosis

We tested a novel, orally active inhibitor of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in a canine model of electrolytic injury. Dogs received by oral gavage either vehicle (control) or the PAI-1 inhibitor PAI-039 [{1-benzyl-5-[4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenyl]-1H-indol-3-yl}(oxo)acetic acid] (1, 3, and 10 mg/kg) and were subjected to electrolytic injury of the coronary artery. PAI-039 caused prolongation in time to coronary occlusion (control, 31.7 +/- 6.3 min; 3 mg/kg PAI-039, 66.0 +/- 6.4 min; 10 mg/kg, 56.7 +/- 7.4 min; n = 5-6; p < 0.05) and a reduced thrombus weight (control, 7.6 +/- 1.5 mg; 10 mg/kg PAI-039, 3.6 +/- 1.0 mg; p < 0.05). Although occlusive thrombosis was observed across all groups based upon the absence of measurable blood flow, a high incidence (>60%) of spontaneous reperfusion occurred only in those groups receiving PAI-039. Spontaneous reperfusion in the 10 mg/kg PAI-039 group accounted for total blood flow (area under the curve of coronary blood flow) of 99.6 +/- 11.7 ml after initial thrombotic occlusion (p < 0.05 compared with control). Plasma PAI-1 activity was reduced in all drug-treated groups (percentage of reduction in activity p < 0.05; 10 mg/kg PAI-039), whereas ADP-, 9,11-dideoxy-11alpha,9alpha-epoxymethanoprostaglandin F(2alpha) (U46619)-, and collagen-induced platelet aggregation, as well as template bleeding and prothrombin time, remained unaffected by PAI-039. Ex vivo clot lysis analysis revealed normal clot formation but accelerated clot lysis in PAI-039-treated groups. The pharmacokinetic profile of PAI-039 indicated an oral bioavailability of 43 +/- 15.3% and a plasma half-life of 6.2 +/- 1.3 h. In conclusion, PAI-039 is an orally active prothrombolytic drug that inhibits PAI-1 and accelerates fibrinolysis while maintaining normal coagulation in a model of coronary occlusion.

Polymorphonuclear leucocytes mediate endogenous thrombus lysis via a u-PA-dependent mechanism

Many human thrombi lyse spontaneously without the administration of lytic drugs and cause no clinical symptoms. The mechanisms by which this occurs are incompletely understood. We found that model thrombi prepared from whole human blood in a Chandler loop also exhibited significant spontaneous lysis. Lysis was inhibited by chemical protease inhibitors, consistent with proteolysis resulting primarily from serine proteases, with a small contribution from matrix metalloproteinases. Whole blood was fractionated into platelet-rich plasma and cell populations. Significant spontaneous lysis was observed in platelet-rich thrombi enriched with polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNs), whereas mononuclear cells (MCs) and erythrocytes did not contribute to lysis. Incorporation of antibodies to urokinase (u-PA) and its receptor u-PAR neutralized a large proportion of the activity. Incubation of plasma with PMNs generated free u-PA activity, which was also detectable in model thrombi and in vivo human thrombi. Purified neutrophils, free of eosinophils, generated activity identical to PMNs. Smaller contributions to lysis by tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), elastase and cathepsin G were also identified. These findings suggest a major role for circulating PMNs in endogenous thrombus lysis.