Generation of procoagulant activity by mononuclear phagocytes: a possible
mechanism contributing to blood clotting activation within malignant
tissues
R Lorenzet, G Peri, D Locati, P Allavena, M Colucci, N Semeraro, A Mantovani and MB Donati
This study investigated the procoagulant activity (PCA) of mononuclear
phagocytes from rabbits bearing the V2 carcinoma. Macrophages harvested
from either intraperitoneally or subcutaneously growing tumors were found
to express a very strong procoagulant activity as compared with peritoneal
macrophages and circulating mononuclear cells from the same animals. On the
other hand, when incubated with or without endotoxin in short-term
cultures, circulating mononuclear cells from tumor-bearing animals
generated significantly more procoagulant activity than those from control
animals. In all instances, procoagulant activity was identified as tissue
factor by using assay systems with plasmas selectively deficient in the
various clotting factors. These results indicate that, besides cancer
cells, mononuclear phagocytes might also play an important role in the
activation of blood coagulation and in the deposition of fibrin at the
host-tumor interface.
Volume 62,
Issue 2,
pp. 271-273,
08/01/1983
Copyright © 1983 by The American Society of Hematology
