A sensitive, accurate assay for extrinsic pathway inhibitor (EPI) activity in rabbit plasma: paradoxical effect of excess exogenous factor X.

A sensitive assay is described for the measurement of rabbit plasma EPI activity in experimental studies of induced hypercoagulable states in this species. It is based upon the ability of a dilution of rabbit plasma to inhibit human factor VIIa/rabbit brain tissue factor (TF) catalyzed activation of human factor IX (tritiated activation peptide release assay). Addition of 3H-factor IX to the reaction mixture is delayed for 45 minutes to allow full inhibition by EPI/factor Xa complex before the residual catalytic activity of factor VIIa/TF is measured. Although the diluted rabbit plasma test sample contains both EPI and factor X, supplemental factor X is added to the reaction mixture to assure that only EPI content of the test sample affects the assay result. However, the final concentration of factor X in the reaction mixture is critical. Too high a concentration of factor X diminishes the sensitivity of the assay. The reason for this phenomenon, which was observed with both human and rabbit factor X preparations, is unknown.