From which microbes, the streptokinase is produced. What is its role ?
Answers
Streptokinase is naturally produced and secreted by various strains of hemolytic streptococci.Streptokinase is used to dissolve blood clots that have formed in the blood vessels. It is used immediately after symptoms of a heart attack occur to improve patient survival. This medicine may also be used to treat blood clots in the lungs (pulmonary embolism) and in the legs (deep venous thrombosis)
Streptokinase is a purified fraction of the filtrate from cultures of Streptokinase haemolyticus. Streptokinase interacts with plasminogen or plasmin to form a plasminogen activator in plasma. The activator complex in turn cleaves a bond in the plasminogen molecule to give rise to free plasmin. Streptokinase therefore results in systemic fibrinogenolysis as well as lysis of fibrin clot. Streptokinase is a foreign protein and induces antibody production in humans, limiting a course of treatment to 3–5 days. It is recommended that 2 years should elapse before repeated administrations of streptokinase. It also cross-reacts with anti-streptococcal antibodies, which may cause resistance to therapy, although this is usually overcome with large doses.