Action of Extracellular Proteases of <i>Aspergillus flavus</i> and <i>Aspergillus ochraceus</i> Micromycetes on Plasma Hemostasis Proteins

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the properties of proteolytic enzymes of two species of Aspergillus, Aspergillus flavus 1 (with a high degree of pathogenicity) and Aspergillus ochraceus L-1 (a conditional pathogen), and their effects on various components of the hemostasis system (in vitro) in the case of their penetration into the bloodstream. We showed that micromycete proteases were highly active in cleaving both globular (albuminolysis) and fibrillar (fibrin) proteins, and, to varying degrees, they could coagulate the plasma of humans and animals (due to proteolysis of factors of the blood coagulation cascade) but were not able to coagulate fibrinogen. The proteases of both Aspergillus fully hydrolyzed thrombi in 120–180 min. Micromycetes did not show hemolytic activity but were able to break down hemoglobin.

Keywords

• <i>Aspergillus</i>
• extracellular proteases
• fibrinolysis
• thrombolysis
• plasma coagulation