Genetic polymorphism of human plasminogen in the Japanese population: new plasminogen variants and relationship between plasminogen phenotypes and their biological activities.

Genetic polymorphism of human plasminogen in the Japanese population has been described using polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing electrophoresis followed by immuno-fixation techniques. New variants PLG1'-1', PLG2'-1, and rare 1 were detected. Fibrinolytic activity per milligram plasminogen of each phenotype, except for PLG1'-1' and PLG1-1' was within the normal range. The PLG1' component was associated with no or less plasminogen activity, but possessed plasminogen antigen. Gene frequencies calculated from 750 individuals were PLG1;09560, PLG2; 0.0113, PLG1'; 0.0233, and PLG2',0.0094; respectively. The distribution of phenotypes fitted the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. In order to detect the plasminogen phenotypes the immunofixation technique was more suitable than the zymogram technique.