On the identification of beneficial and detrimental molecular forms of fibrinogen.

Fibrinogen is a central protein in blood coagulation. A functioning circulation system requires a precise balance between fibrin formation and removal, i.e. between the interaction of fibrin(ogen) with thrombogenic and fibrinolytic components of the blood. Fibrinogen and fibrin have also significant roles in wound healing, in tumor growth and metastasis as well as in defense mechanisms. All functions and interactions are mediated by specific structural elements of the molecule. Already in healthy individuals fibrinogen occurs in over a million nonidentical forms due to posttranslational modifications and genetic polymorphism. The various forms may show considerable differences in their functional properties. Alterations in distributions among preexisting forms as well as additional forms have been observed to accompany many types of disease. Furthermore, certain forms have been correlated with an increased risk to acquire disease. Monitoring the levels of various molecular forms is expected to be of considerable diagnostic and prognostic value in many types of disease.