[Activity of tissue and plasma kallikrein and their precursor levels in rabbit tears after alkaline burns of the cornea].

Alterations in the activity of tissue and plasma kallikreins and in the levels of their precursors in rabbit lacrimal fluid were studied after alkaline burn of the cornea and treatment with hordox. The enzymatic activity was measured using the fluorogenic substrate Z-Phe-Arg-MCA. The activity of plasma kallikrein was increased in the lacrimal fluid within the first week after burn. Unlike plasma kallikrein, tissue kallikrein showed a higher activity within 14 and 28 days. The maximal increase in the levels of plasma and tissue kallikreins occurred within the first week. Subconjunctival injections of hordox, 0.3 ml (30,000 kIU), daily within 10 days led to a decrease in the activity of either kallikrein within the first week and did not alter tissue kallikrein activity within 14 and 28 days. Hordox did not affect the content of prekallikreins. The activation of tissue kallikrein at days 14-28 appears to occur due to increased proliferation and served as protective and compensatory responses; treatment with the polyvalent inhibitor of proteinases hordox within 8-10 days after burn did not affect this function of tissue kallikrein.