Abstract
Using the method of Gibson et al., the concentration of endogenous heparin-like substance in blood was determined. Also the concentration of heparin-like substance in the different parts of aorta and pulmonary artery was determined by the same method after extraction of the substance from the tissue with potassium thiocyanate, and following results were obtained.1) In normal subjects, there was scarcely any sex difference in the concentration of heparin-like substance in blood, although the concentration tended to decrease gradually with advance in age.2) Heparin-like substance level in blood from the cases with myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, diabetes mellitus and hypertension was significantly lower than that from the normal subjects.In hypertension, heparin-like substance level in blood from cases with abnormal E. C. G. findings was significantly lower than that from cases without abnormal E. C. G. findings.3) The concentration of heparin-like substance in blood tended to decrease as the progress of the severity of atherosclerosis of the fundus oculi.4) There was approximatly inverse correlation between serum lipoprotein ratio (β+γ/α) and heparin-like substance level in blood.5) Concentration of heparin-like substance in pulmonary artery wall was higher than that in ascending or abdominal aorta.6) Concentration of heparin-like substance in arterial wall tended to decrease as the progress of the severity of calcification and atheromatous changes.From the results above descrived, it is concluded that heparin-like substance may play some important roles in development of atherosclerosis.
