CheonggukjangisasoybeanpastemadebyfermentingwholecookedsoybeanswithBacillussubtilis.Cheonggukjangcontainsafibrinolyticenzymethatcouldprovideclinicalapplicationsforremovingbloodclots.Inthepresentstudy,theterm'cheonggukjangkinase'(CGK)wasusedtorefertothisfibrinolyticenzyme.ThethrombolyticeffectsofCGKwereanalyzedinaratmodelofcerebralembolicstrokeproducedbymiddlecerebralarteryocclusion(MCAO).Resultsfromfibrinandplatelet-richclotlysisassaysdemonstratedthatthrombolyticactivitywasgreatestinCGKs,whichwereculturedfor40hours.Inaddition,T50,thetimeneededtodecompose50%oftheclot,didnotchangewithplasminogentreatment,indicatingthatCGKwasnotaplasminogenactivator,butwasratherpresumedtoactasaplasmin-likeprotein.AnintravenousinfusionofCGK(1Uplasmin-likeactivity/100μgCGK/kg)at1hourafterMCAOresultedinremovalofclotsinaratmodelofcerebralembolicstroke.CGK-treatedgroupsexhibitedasignificantdose-dependentreductionininfarctvolume.CGKtreatmentalsoimprovedfunctionalrecovery,asassessedbyneurologicaldeficitscores.DecreasedinfarctvolumeandimprovedfunctionalrecoveryfollowingCGKtreatmentwasgreatercomparedwithrecombinanttissueplasminogenactivator(10mg/kg).TheseresultssuggestedthatCGKeffectivelyreducedinfarctvolumeandimprovedfunctionalrecoveryfollowingischemicbraininjury.CGKexhibitsanumberofpotentialclinicalapplicationsinthetreatmentofcerebralembolicstroke.
