OCCURRENCE OF THE SPECIFIC PLASMINOGEN-ACTIVATOR INHIBITOR OF PLACENTAL TYPE, PAI-2 IN ASCITIC FLUID AND TUMOR VESSEL BLOOD FROM PATIENTS WITH OVARIAN-CARCINOMA

In ascitic fluid from 21 women with advanced ovarian carcinoma of serous type, the specific plasminogen activator inhibitor of placental type (PAI-2) occurred in a concentration of 5-108 μg/l. In plasma from 5 patients obtained from veins draining the tumours, PAI-2 levels of 12-26 μg/l were found and in the peripheral blood <5 μg/l compared to 100-150 μg/l in pregnancy term plasma. Immunoblotting of individual purified ascitic fluid samples demonstrated PAI-2 in its two forms of 48 and 60kDa. In one sample an additional band in the 80 kDa position was visible, similar to an inactive form earlier described in a non-pregnant woman. Expression of the gene coding for PAI-2 seems to be a characteristic of ovarian carcinomas of serous type. © 1990.