The significance of plasminogen activator inhibitor 2 in patients with hematologic malignancies

: The authors investigated the incidence of the plasminogen activator inhibitor-2 (PAI-2) in 88 patients with haematological tumours. In four patients (4.5%) an elevated PAI-2 level was found: in patient (no. 1) with non-differentiated leukaemia which developed as a result of transformation of myelodysplastic syndrome, in a female patient (no. 2) with non-differentiated blastic crisis of chronic myeloid leukaemia, in a female patient (no. 3) with acute monocytic leukaemia (M5) and in a pregnant female (patient no. 4) with a malignant lymphogranuloma. In none of the other patients with another type of acute myeloid leukaemia or other haematological tumours PAI-2 was detected. High PAI-2 levels after successful cytostatic treatment and attainment of complete remission reached normal levels, during a relapse high PAI-2 levels were recorded again. The authors assume that the presence of PAI-2 may suggest a monocytic origin of the cells which produce it. They conclude also that its value may reflect the activity of the disease with high levels during presentation or relapse of the disease and a drop or disappearance of PAI-2 after successful treatment and achieved remission.