Thromb Haemost 2012; 107(04): 690-698
DOI: 10.1160/TH11-10-0699
Blood Coagulation, Fibrinolysis and Cellular Haemostasis
Schattauer GmbH

Antithrombotic activity of protein S infused without activated protein C in a baboon thrombosis model

Mary J. Heeb
1   Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
,
Ulla Marzec
2   Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
,
Andras Gruber
2   Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
,
Stephen R. Hanson
2   Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
› Author Affiliations
Financial support: The authors were supported in part by National Institutes of Health grants HL070002 and HL088375 (MJH), HL095474 (SRH), HL095315(AG), and RR000163 for operation of the Oregon National Primate Research Center.
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 10 October 2011

Accepted after major revision: 12 January 2012

Publication Date:
29 November 2017 (online)

Summary

Protein S (ProS) is an essential plasma protein that enhances the anticoagulant activity of activated protein C (APC). In vitro, purified native human Zn2+-containing ProS also exerts direct anticoagulant activity by inhibiting prothrombinase and extrinsic FXase activities independently of APC. We investigated antithrombotic effects of ProS infused without APC in a baboon shunt model of thrombogenesis that employs a device consisting of arterial and venous shear flow segments. In in vitro experiments, the Zn2+-containing human ProS used for the studies displayed >10-fold higher prothrombinase inhibitory activity and anticoagulant activity in tissue factor-stimulated plasma, and four-fold higher inhibition of the intrinsic pathway than the Zn2+-deficient ProS used. In the thrombosis model, ProS (33 μg/minute for 1 hour) or saline was infused locally; platelet and fibrin deposition in the shunt were measured over 2 hours. During experiments performed at 50 ml/minute blood flow, Zn2+-containing ProS inhibited platelet deposition 73–96% in arterialtype flow segments and 90–99% in venous-type flow segments; Zn2+-deficient ProS inhibited platelet deposition 52% in arterial-type flow segments and 65–73% in venous-type flow segments. At 100 ml/min blood flow rate, Zn2+-containing ProS inhibited platelet deposition by 39% and 73% in the respective segments; Zn2+-deficient ProS inhibited platelet deposition by 5% and 0% in the respective segments. Zn2+-containing ProS suppressed fibrin deposition by 67–90%. Systemic APC-independent ProS activity was significantly increased and thrombin-antithrombin complex levels were significantly decreased after infusion of ProS. Thus, infused human Zn2+-containing ProS is antithrombotic in primates, and may have therapeutic potential even in protein C-deficient human patients.

These studies were presented in part in abstract form at an oral presentation at the XXIth Congress of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemo -stasis, Geneva, Switzerland, August 2007.

 
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