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Blood urokinase plasminogen activator system in chronic urticaria

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Abstract

The evidence gathered has pointed to the fibrinolytic system, which apart from its major role in hemostasis may also be involved in inflammatory and immune processes. To understand better the role of fibrinolysis in urticaria, we measured plasma levels of the urokinase system associated molecules such as urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), its soluble receptor (suPAR; CD87) and an inhibitor, plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) activity in chronic urticaria (CU) patients. Plasma was obtained from symptomatic sixteen CU patients (12 females and 4 males) showing positive response to autologous serum skin test (ASST), 28 CU patients with negative ASST (20 females and 8 males) as well as from healthy subjects matched by sex and age. The plasma level of uPA and suPAR antigens, PAI-1 activity did not differ significantly among the three subjects groups. The data obtained suggest that CU patients showing positive response to ASST have plasma profile of the urokinase system-associated proteins, which is not markedly different as compared with CU patients with negative ASST as well as healthy subjects. Our findings have also confirmed the earlier studies, suggesting that systemic fibrinolysis may not be involved in chronic urticaria.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chair and Clinical Department of Internal Diseases, Allergology and Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Silesia, ul. 3-go Maja 13-15, 41-800, Zabrze, Katowice, Poland

    Alicja Kasperska-Zajac, Zenon Brzoza & Barbara Rogala

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  1. Alicja Kasperska-Zajac
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  2. Zenon Brzoza
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  3. Barbara Rogala
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alicja Kasperska-Zajac.

Additional information

This study was supported by a research grant from the Committee for Scientific Research (NN-1-246/03).

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Kasperska-Zajac, A., Brzoza, Z. & Rogala, B. Blood urokinase plasminogen activator system in chronic urticaria. Arch Dermatol Res 298, 409–411 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-006-0715-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-006-0715-8

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