Is lymphocyte co-operation necessary for thromboplastin synthesis by human monocytes?

Human monocytes synthesize the protein component of thromboplastin and express increased procoagulant activity when appropriately stimulated in vitro. The activity reached maximum between 2 and 20 h depending on the stimulant used. The presence of lymphocytes (lymphocyte: monocyte ratio 4:1) enhanced this activity only very slightly (up to 1.3-fold) at the time of maximal monocyte thromboplastin expression. Lymphocytes had a marked potentiating effect on PHA stimulation that became clearly evident after 12 h, at which time the thromboplastin response of monocytes alone to PHA had subsided. The thromboplastin activity of monocytes remained at a high level for 24-40 h in the presence of PHA or endotoxin and lymphocytes, but lymphocytes did not influence the early (4-8 h) thromboplastin response. Neither did lymphocytes alter the magnitude or the time course of the response when monocytes were stimulated with PPD, TPA or immune complexes. The lymphoblastoid cell line Molt 4 (T cell like) was as effective as lymphocytes, Daudi cells (B cell like) were slightly less effective. The enhancement of thromboplastin activity in PHA-stimulated monocytes could be induced also by conditioned medium from PHA stimulated lymphocytes. We conclude that freshly isolated monocytes synthesize thromboplastin directly upon interaction with a stimulant, and are not dependent on a helper effect of lymphocytes or lymphocyte products. Such help, however, will prolong the ability of the monocytes to respond.