The Destruction of Glucagon, Adrenocorticotropin

Human blood contains an inactive proteolytic enzyme, plasminogen, which may be converted in vitro to its active form, plasmin, either spontaneously or by the addition of various agents (1). A similar activation is believed to occur in vivo after exposure to a variety of noxious circumstances (2-6). Since plasmin catalyzes the hydrolysis of corticotropin A (7), it is possible that circumstances which induce the activation of plasmin will result also in an increase in the rate of destruction of adrenocorticotropic (ACTH) and other polypeptide hormones. The present study was designed to determine the in vitro hydrolytic action of human blood