Abstract
To date, most of the studies concerning the Permeability Factor (PF) have been done in the experimental inflammation and the significance of this factor was focussed on the initial events during the inflammatory process. However, the role of PF in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and hypertensive vascular lesion has attracted special attention.
In the present study PF was partially purified from acidsoluble glycoprotein fraction of human serum using CM-cellulose column chromatography. Its mollecular weight is about 60, 000.
Increased vascular permeability induced by PF lasts for 2hrs while the duration of histamin action is short, only for 10 to 20 minutes. In addition to this, PF showed no caseinolytic activity in the neutral condition.
Plasmin, Kininogenase, Globulin PF and C-1 esterase were serum proteases which were able to generate vasoactive substances, kinin and anaphylatoxin. As is well known, the action of kinin and anaphylatoxin is quite similar to that of histamin.
The results obtained in the present study suggest that PF is different from these serum proteases being capable of mediating increased vascular permeability.
Exact identification of PF as serum protein is remained to be elucidated by using the purified sample.
The possible role of this PF in the development of atherosclerosis and hypertensive arterial lesion is also discussed.
