Correlations between the Changing Levels of Tissue Plasminogen Activator and Adiposity Following Exercise-Induced Weight Loss

Cardiovascular disease is a major threat to global public health. Tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) is a serine protease that dissolves blood clots, which can also lead to excessive bleeding. Fibrinogen (FIBR), a glycoprotein, is converted by thrombin to fibrin and then to a fibrin-based blood clot. Both TPA and FIBR levels in the blood are associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease, and the levels of the two factors are also positively correlated with total adipose tissue amounts. Visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues (VAT and SAT) can contribute differently to whole-body metabolism. In this study, we sought to assess: (1) the strength of the correlation between the changing levels of the two factors and the changing amounts of VAT/SAT during exercise-induced weight loss, (2) whether there is any difference between the two types of adipose tissues in terms of the correlation, and (3) which factor, TPA or FIBR, is more sensitive to changes in adiposity? For this study, we analyzed the data from the diabetes prevention program (DPP), in which the participants were divided into three groups, with one group undergoing a lifestyle change that involved maintaining a minimum of 7% weight loss with physical activity. We found that the basal amounts of VAT and SAT were correlated with TPA and FIBR levels. However, following weight loss, adiposity changes were strongly correlated with the changing levels of TPA, but not FIBR, for both men and women. Therefore, TPA, but not FIBR, is sensitive to changes in adiposity. Furthermore, regarding TPA, weight loss sensitized its correlation with SAT, but not VAT. This study shows how adipose tissues distinctively affect TPA and FIBR levels, two factors associated with cardiovascular disease and ischemic stroke.