Research Information System
ENDOCRINE JOURNAL, vol.54, no.4, pp.593-599, 2007 (SCI-Expanded)
Both increased and decreased fibrinolytic activity have been reported in patients with hyperthyroidism. Elevated levels of plasma plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) antigen have been found in hyperthyroid patients. Thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFT) is a novel plasma protein, which inhibits fibrinolysis through removal of C-terminal lysines from partially degraded fibrin. Previously, we showed that plasma TAFT antigen levels were increased in patients with overt and subclinical hypothyroidism. The aim of this study is to investigate plasma levels of TAFI and PAI-1 antigens in hyperthyroid patients. PAI-1 and TAFI antigen levels were measured in the plasma of 29 patients with hyperthyroidism (14 overt hyperthyroid and 15 subclinical hyperthyroid), and 26 healthy individuals. Although there were increased levels of PAI-1 antigen in hyperthyroid patients, plasma TAFI antigen levels were significantly lower compared to controls (80.79 ng/ml vs. 32.42 ng/ml, p = 0.000 for PAI-1; 10.42 mu g/ml vs. 12.24 mu g/ml, p = 0.009 for TAFI). Elevated PAI-1 antigen levels were positively correlated with free thyroid hormones, although TAFI antigen levels were in negative correlation with free thyroxine. Furthermore, an inverse correlation between PAT-1 and TAFT antigen levels was found. Our study demonstrated that TAFT antigen levels were decreased in patients with hyperthyroidism. Inverse correlation with PAI-1 suggests that the decrease in TAFT antigen levels may be due to activation of TAFT pathway. Further studies evaluating the underlying mechanisms of low TAFT antigen levels in hyperthyroidism should be undertaken.