The Protaminase Activity in Normal Individuals and in Medical Patients

Abstract

In a previous work it was demonstrated that the spontaneous protaminase activity as measured by the ability of plasma to destroy crystals of protamine insulin is due to the content in the plasma of non-classified proteases. The protaminase acitivity after activation of the plasma with streptokinase is an expression of the plasminogen content of the plasma, as the content of any inhibitors cannot be measured.

In the present work the protaminase activity with and without streptokinase-activation was determined in 63 normal individuals and 31 medical patients with various diseases.

No difference in the activity was found between males and females. The normal material was too limited to permit definite evaluation of any variations due to age.

The protaminase activity is not a disease-specific reaction, but was found to be reduced in very different diseases. This holds true both for the spontaneous and the streptokinase-activated protaminase activity. No correlation with current laboratory investigations was found. On the other hand, the protaminase activity appears to be reduced parallel with deterioration in the clinical condition of the patients, irrespective of the causal disease.

It is concluded that determination of protaminase activity in its present form is such a non-specific reaction that it can scarcely be of any value as a significant clinical laboratory supplement.