Detection of polymorphisms in the human urokinase-type plasminogen activator gene.

Expressed polymorphisms in the genes encoding components of the fibrinolytic cascade could have implications for the predisposition to thrombolytic disorders and/or for tumor metastasis. The occurrence of published two amino acid sequences at position 194 of the human urokinase-type plasminogen activator prompted us to search by SSCP for frequent polymorphisms in several exons of the gene. Surprisingly, only one sequence was detected in codon 194 (> 200 alleles). Two polymorphisms were observed in this study: the most frequent one, a C to T change near the beginning of exon 8, is probably silent; a less frequent polymorphism results in the replacement of a Leu residue by a Pro, in the kringle domain.