Screening for fibrinolysis inhibitory effect of synthetic thrombin inhibitors

Fibrin plate assay (FPA) and thrombelastography (TEG) were used to assess the antifibrinolytic effects of D-Phe-Pro-Arg-H (1), the prototype of peptide aldehyde inhibitors of thrombin, and two of its more stable derivatives, D-MePhe-Pro-Arg-H (2) and Boc-D-Phe-Pro-Arg-H (3). Inhibition of plasmin generation by tissue plasminogen activator, urokinase and streptokinase were studied by both FPA and TEG while that of plasmin could only be examined by FPA. TEG was more sensitive than FPA in general and for the detection of streptokinase inhibition in particular. Derivative (3) was 2–50 times more inhibitory than (1) or (2) depending on the enzyme studied and the assay system used. The thrombin selectivities of (1)-(3) were defined as the thrombin to fibrinolytic enzyme potency ratios. Data obtained by the FPA and thrombin time assay indicated (1) and (2) to be 2–80 times more selective for thrombin than (3). On the other hand, the values determined by TEG and recalcification assay showed the thrombin selectivity of (2) to be two to three times higher than that of (1), and (3) to have no such selectivity. According to TEG studies, (1) and (2) assisted rather than inhibited fibrinolysis by reducing the elasticity of human plasma clots.