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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2013 Jul 26.
Published in final edited form as: Mol Med Ther. 2012 Dec 13;1(2):106. doi: 10.4172/2324-8769.1000106

Figure 1.

Figure 1

tPA and uPA convert plasminogen to the active protease plasmin that, in turn, degrades target substrates (e.g., APP, Aβ) directly as well as indirectly through downstream activation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Inhibition of MMP activity with tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP) or GM6001 has confirmed their participation in plasmin-initiated proteolysis. This cascade is effectively attenuated by expression of PAI-1 which blocks tPA and uPA catalysis inhibiting plasmin generation.