A novel serine protease secreted by medicinal maggots enhances plasminogen activator-induced fibrinolysis.

Maggots of the blowfly Lucilia sericata are used for the treatment of chronic wounds. As haemostatic processes play an important role in wound healing, this study focused on the effects of maggot secretions on coagulation and fibrinolysis. The results showed that maggot secretions enhance plasminogen activator-induced formation of plasmin and fibrinolysis in a dose- and time-dependent manner.

Engineering a substrate-specific cold-adapted subtilisin.

One region predicted to be highly flexible for a psychrophilic enzyme, TA39 subtilisin (S39), was transferred in silico to the mesophilic subtilisin, savinase (EC 3.4.21.

Elevated vascular endothelial growth factor in type 1 diabetic patients with diabetic nephropathy.

Background: Growth factors have been suggested to play a role in the development and progression of diabetic nephropathy. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent cytokine family that induces angiogenesis and markedly increases endothelial permeability. The aim of the present study was to investigate plasma levels of VEGF in a large cohort of type 1 diabetic patients with diabetic nephropathy and in long-standing type 1 diabetic patients with persistent normoalbuminuria, and to evaluate VEGF as a predictor of nephropathy progression.

Relationship between pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of tinzaparin (logiparin), a low molecular weight heparin, in dogs.

1. Pharmacodynamic models relating the plasma concentrations (C) of radioactive heparin material to anticoagulant effect (E) have been investigated after single i.v.