A contemporary review of plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 in cardiovascular disease and broader disease state implications

Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) has well-described roles in cardiovascular disease states including clinical thrombosis, atherosclerosis, arteriosclerosis, and myocardial infarction. However, an evolving plethora of research associates PAI-1 with numerous other disease processes including inflammation and infection, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, neurodegeneration, and cancer. Aside from disease processes, PAI-1 has also recently been shown to be a key biomarker for aging with effects on skeletal muscle repair, cardiovascular health, and cellular senescence. This review provides a timely and comprehensive update of PAI-1's role in the pathogenesis of a diverse array of human diseases.