Semin Thromb Hemost 1996; 22(6): 497-501
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-999050
Copyright © 1996 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.

The Role of Inflammatory Cells and Their Proteases in Extravascular Fibrinolysis

Margarethe Heiden* , Rainer Seitz* , Rudolf Egbring
  • From the *Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Department of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, Langen, Germany and
  • †Philipps-University Hospitals, Department of Hematology/Oncology, Marburg, Germany.
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
06 February 2008 (online)

Abstract

Extravascular fibrin formation and dissolution is a pivotal event in numerous inflammatory and malignant diseases. In inflammatory cells such as monocytes/macrophages, neutrophil granulocytes appear to interact intimately with hemostasis and regulate the activity of the cascade systems of coagulation and fibrinolysis. Proteases such as neutrophil elastase are thought to influence components of hemostasis, and furthermore provide an alternative pathway of fibrinolysis. Histological, experimental, and clinical data suggest that extravascular fibrinolysis, mediated both by the plasmin system and by proteases like neutrophil elastase, is a prominent finding in various diseases such as lung cancer, chronic inflammatory bowel disease, vasculitis and connective tissue disease, bacterial sepsis, and septic shock.