Placental plasminogen activator activity in pre-eclampsia

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Abstract
Plasminogen activator is one of the principal enzymes involved in the fibrinolytic system. The plasminogen activator activity in placental tissue was examined using a chromogenic substrate in 9 patients with pre‐eclampsia and in 9 women with uncomplicated pregnancy, who were delivered between 37 and 42 weeks of gestation. In the patients with pre‐eclampsia, the plasminogen activator activity was significantly (P < 0.05) decreased compared with that in the control group of normal pregnant women. The present findings suggest a decreased fibrinolytic activity in the placental tissue of pre‐eclamptic patients, which is responsible for fibrin deposition in the placental tissue and may contribute to placental ischemia and insufficiency in pre‐eclampsia.