Neoantigenic expression in enzyme·inhibitor complexes a means to demonstrate activation of enzyme systems

Abstract

Human thrombin·antithrombin III and plasmin·antiplasmin, two enzyme·inhibitor complexes composed of four different molecules, contain antigenic structures not present in the parent molecules, which can be directly quantitated in plasma with the use of non-cross-reacting antisera. It is anticipated that this neoantigenic expression is a more general phenomenon, which could provide a simple means of measuring activation of enzyme systems in biological fluids.