Initiation of the extrinsic pathway of coagulation by human and rabbit
alveolar macrophages: a kinetic study
MP McGee, R Wallin, FB Wheeler and H Rothberger
Department of Medicine, Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Wake Forest
University, Winston-Salem, NC.
We examined assembly and expression of the factor X activating complex on
human and rabbit alveolar macrophages. Kinetic parameters of the factor X
activating reaction were determined by functional titrations of factors VII
and X with macrophage tissue factor (TF) added. We found rapid activation
of factor X to Xa on alveolar macrophage surfaces. Detection of rapid
factor Xa formation on macrophages required addition of exogenous factors
VII and X. At plasma concentrations of the purified factors, factor Xa was
formed on freshly isolated macrophages at approximately 5.4 pmol/min/10(6)
cells. After macrophage maturation in culture for 20 hours with LPS
(endotoxin) added, the factor X activation rate was increased two- to
sixfold. The km' (apparent km) of TF-factor VII enzymatic complexes
assembled on alveolar macrophages for factor X were (258 +/- 55 and 475 +/-
264 nmol/L for human and rabbit cells, respectively). The km' did not
change during macrophage maturation in culture, but V'max (apparent Vmax)
was consistently increased. The K1/2 of human factor VII (concentrations
giving half maximal rates of factor X activation) for the interaction with
human and rabbit alveolar macrophage TF were 0.191 +/- 0.096 and 1.7 +/-
0.7 etamol/L, respectively. The K1/2 were not significantly changed after
maturation, whereas rates of Xa formation at saturation with factor VII
were increased. The fast rates of factor X activation observed at
physiologic concentrations of plasma-derived factors VII and X indicate
that TF on alveolar macrophages is likely to provide sites for binding of
factor VII and activation of factor X in vivo during clotting reactions
associated with alveolar edema and inflammation.
Volume 74,
Issue 5,
pp. 1583-1590,
10/01/1989
Copyright © 1989 by The American Society of Hematology