thromboplastin and cicaprost

Previous studies have shown that prostacyclin analogs can inhibit the expression of tissue factor (TF) procoagulant activity by human monocytes. The present studies have investigated this phenomenon further, by using a plasma coagulation assay to measure cellular TF activity, an immunoassay to measure TF antigen and reverse transcription/polymerase chain reaction with appropriate oligomer primers to measure TF mRNA. Iloprost and cicaprost inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced increases in TF activity, antigen and mRNA (50% inhibition, 2-8 nM), with no apparent effect on TF mRNA stability. These agents therefore act at or before the level of transcription of the TF gene. The analogs were more potent inhibitors of tumor necrosis factor-alpha synthesis (50% inhibition at 334 +/- 40 pM cicaprost or 846 +/- 182 pM iloprost) and extraordinarily potent when combined with a phosphodiesterase inhibitor (50% inhibition at 101 +/- 31 pM iloprost in the presence of 20 microM isobutylmethylxanthine). Iloprost and cicaprost were less potent in inhibiting the synthesis of interleukin-1 beta (50% inhibition, 50-100 nM). Cicaprost inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced increases in mRNA levels for TF, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1 beta; differential potency was again observed. We conclude that these three important monocyte functions can be down-regulated by prostacyclin analogs, and with differential sensitivity. Furthermore, the extreme sensitivity of tumor necrosis factor-alpha synthesis to inhibition suggests that such inhibition may be a major physiological function of prostacyclin itself.

Topics: 1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine; Base Sequence; Cyclic AMP; Epoprostenol; Humans; Iloprost; Interleukin-1; Molecular Sequence Data; Monocytes; RNA, Messenger; Thromboplastin; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

The aims of the present investigation were to develop a new venous thrombosis animal model with low flow conditions in the venous blood stream and then evaluate this model for testing new anticoagulants. In this model, the vena cava of rats was narrowed with a Doppler flow probe, blood flow velocity continuously recorded and thrombus formation initiated by thromboplastin infusion. Sixty-five minutes following thromboplastin infusion the animals were sacrificed and the following parameters measured: thrombus wet weight, fibrinopeptide A (FpA), activated partial thromboplastin time and platelet number. The new model was evaluated with aspirin, a PGI2 mimetic, heparin and a soluble thrombomodulin analogue. Without thromboplastin infusion no thrombus formation or reduction of blood flow was observed. Controls receiving thromboplastin infusion developed a thrombus, blood flow was arrested, platelet number decreased and FpA was elevated. In contrast, animals pretreated with anticoagulants maintained a residual flow, while thrombus weight, thrombocytopenia and FpA elevation were reduced. The antiplatelet agents were not effective. This study demonstrates that, under low flow conditions, only a combination of blood flow reduction with a hypercoagulable state results in venous thrombus formation. This improved model of venous thrombosis more closely resembles the clinical situation and is applicable for testing anticoagulants.

Topics: Animals; Anticoagulants; Aspirin; Blood Flow Velocity; Constriction; Disease Models, Animal; Epoprostenol; Heparin; Male; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; Prostaglandins, Synthetic; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Recombinant Proteins; Thrombomodulin; Thrombophlebitis; Thromboplastin; Vena Cava, Inferior

Increased expression of tissue factor procoagulant by peripheral blood monocytes has been implicated in a number of thrombotic disorders. The present studies were undertaken to determine whether stable analogues of prostacyclin, a potent endothelium-derived platelet inhibitor and vasodilator, could inhibit tissue factor expression by human monocytic cells. Exposure of monocytic tumor THP-1 cells to 100 ng/ml endotoxin, 2 units/ml interleukin-1 beta, or 5 ng/ml tumor necrosis factor-alpha for 4 hours led to increased tissue factor procoagulant activity. Preincubation for 30 minutes with iloprost, ciprostene, and carbacyclin led to a dose-dependent inhibition of tissue factor expression induced by all three challenging agents. Iloprost was the most potent: 50% inhibition occurred at 5 nM, a concentration close to the reported dissociation constant for iloprost binding to the platelet prostacyclin receptor. An orally active analogue, cicaprost, was equally effective against endotoxin-induced tissue factor expression. Carbacyclin and ciprostene were 100 times less potent. Iloprost prevented the endotoxin-induced expression of tissue factor antigen on the surface of THP-1 cells, as determined by flow cytometry. Iloprost (500 pM-50 nM) increased intracellular levels of cyclic AMP. This effect was potentiated by isobutylmethylxanthine, an inhibitor of phosphodiesterase. The inhibitory effects of iloprost on tissue factor expression were also potentiated by isobutylmethylxanthine and mimicked by forskolin and dibutyryl cyclic AMP but not dibutyryl cyclic GMP. These results suggest that prostacyclin may play a role in downregulating tissue factor expression in monocytes, at least in part via elevation of intracellular levels of cyclic AMP.

Topics: 1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine; Bucladesine; Colforsin; Cyclic AMP; Endotoxins; Epoprostenol; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Humans; Iloprost; Interleukin-1; Monocytes; Prostaglandins, Synthetic; Thromboplastin; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha