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1: Science. 2004 Aug 27;305(5688):1283-6.
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Plasminogen is a critical host pathogenicity factor for group A streptococcal infection.

Sun H, Ringdahl U, Homeister JW, Fay WP, Engleberg NC, Yang AY, Rozek LS, Wang X, Sjöbring U, Ginsburg D.

Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.

Group A streptococci, a common human pathogen, secrete streptokinase, which activates the host's blood clot-dissolving protein, plasminogen. Streptokinase is highly specific for human plasminogen, exhibiting little or no activity against other mammalian species, including mouse. Here, a transgene expressing human plasminogen markedly increased mortality in mice infected with streptococci, and this susceptibility was dependent on bacterial streptokinase expression. Thus, streptokinase is a key pathogenicity factor and the primary determinant of host species specificity for group A streptococcal infection. In addition, local fibrin clot formation may be implicated in host defense against microbial pathogens.

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PMID: 15333838 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]