Cellular cooperation in endothelial cell thromboplastin synthesis.

Endothelial cells from human umbilical veins produce a procoagulant identified as thromboplastin (tissue factor, factor III) when stimulated with the phorbol ester 12-0-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) or endotoxin, Inducible thromboplastin synthesis (i.e. synthesis of the protein component of thromboplastin, apoprotein III) was totally inhibited by cycloheximide and actinomycin D, indicating that de novo protein and RNA syntheses are necessary. Serum enhanced the induced apoprotein synthesis. Of the total thromboplastin activity in homogenates of stimulated endothelial cells, about 50--70% was available on the cell surface for interaction with other coagulation factors, inactivation by trypsin and neutralization with antiserum against apoprotein III. Induced synthesis of thromboplastin in endothelial cells was 2--7-fold enhanced by the presence of several other cell types in optimal ratio 4--10 cells per endothelial cell. Some of these cell types were themselves thromboplstin producers (U-937, U-937-4), some were not inducible (lymphocytes, granulocytes and the lymphoblast lines Daudi and Molt 4). This enhancing effect was also seen with cell-free culture supernatants, but these were generally somewhat less effective than the intact cells. Supernatants derived from cells cultured in the presence of TPA, PHA or endotoxin were in most cases more effective than supernatants from unstimulated cells.