This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Data Supplement All Versions of this Article: 23/9/1684    most recent 01.ATV.0000087034.22709.5Fv1 Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by D’Andrea, D. Articles by Chiariello, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by D’Andrea, D. Articles by Chiariello, M. Pubmed/NCBI databases Compound via MeSH Substance via MeSH Related Collections Smooth muscle proliferation and differentiation Other etiology Acute coronary syndromes Autonomic, reflex, and neurohumoral control of circulation Coagulation and fibronolysis

(Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. 2003;23:1684.)
© 2003 American Heart Association, Inc.

Thrombosis

Induction of Tissue Factor in the Arterial Wall During Recurrent Thrombus Formation

Davide D’Andrea^*; Marta Ravera^*; Paolo Golino; Annamaria Rosica; Mario De Felice; Massimo Ragni; Plinio Cirillo; Francesco Vigorito; Nicola Corcione; Paola Tommasini; Annarita Gargiulo; Orlando Piro; Paolo Calabró; Massimo Chiariello

From the Division of Cardiology, University of Naples, "Federico II"; Division of Cardiology, Seconda Università di Napoli (P.G.); and Stazione Zoologica "A. Dohrn" (A.R., M.D.F.), Naples, Italy.

Correspondence to Paolo Golino, MD, PhD, Division of Cardiology, Seconda Università di Napoli, Piazza Luigi Miraglia, 2, 80123 Naples, Italy. E-mail paolo.golino{at}unina2.it

Objective— Tissue factor (TF) is normally expressed at low levels in the media of blood vessels, but it is readily induced after vessel injury. It is not known whether vascular damage per se or thrombus formation is responsible for this phenomenon.

Methods and Results— Cyclic flow variations (CFVs), attributable to recurrent thrombus formation, were induced in stenotic rabbit carotid arteries with endothelial injury. CFVs were observed for 30 minutes and 2, 4, and 8 hours in different groups of animals. Another group of rabbits pretreated with hirudin before inducing arterial damage to inhibit thrombus formation was observed for 8 hours. Arterial sections were immunostained for TF. Undamaged arteries served as controls. In additional rabbits, in situ hybridization experiments were performed. No TF expression was observed in the media of control vessels, whereas a progressive increase in TF mRNA and protein expression was observed in carotid arteries as CFVs progressed. No increase in TF expression was observed in animals pretreated with hirudin. In vitro experiments demonstrated that TF mRNA is induced in smooth muscle cells stimulated with activated platelets as well as with some platelet-derived mediators.

Conclusions— This phenomenon may contribute to sustain intravascular thrombus formation after the initial thrombogenic stimulus.

Key Words: tissue factor • intravascular thrombosis • platelets • platelet-derived mediators