title: Effect of heparin and low molecular weight heparins on thrombin-induced blood platelet activation in the absence of antithrombin III.
abstract: We have investigated the antithrombin III independent effect of crude heparin, two heparin fractions and a heparinoid on in vitro thrombin-induced platelet activation. Thrombin-induced platelet factor Va generation and thrombin plus collagen-induced platelet prothrombin converting activity were tested. Crude heparin was a more potent inhibitor of these reactions than the fractions or the heparinoid. The inhibitory action of the heparins was found to be the result of a direct effect on thrombin and not of an effect either on platelet activation functions or on the assembly or functioning of the prothrombinase complex. Probably this heparin inhibition is due to the masking of secondary macromolecular substrate binding sites on the thrombin molecule. We found no correlation between IC50 values and the antithrombin III-dependent antithrombin specific activities of the heparins. This supports the notion that heparin properties other than their affinity for antithrombin III may contribute to the action of this drug in blood coagulation.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Baruch
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Franssen
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Hemker
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lindhout
mesh_terms: D000990:Antithrombin III / Q000494:pharmacology; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006493:Heparin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011516:Prothrombin / Q000378:metabolism; D013917:Thrombin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001620:beta-Thromboglobulin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors; D001620:beta-Thromboglobulin; C037685:platelet factor V; D000990:Antithrombin III; D011516:Prothrombin; D006493:Heparin; D013917:Thrombin