In vitro effect of endotoxin from Shigella sonnei. phase I on human blood platelets and mononuclear leucocytes: comparison of "free endotoxin" with cell-extracted preparations.

The in vitro effect of a purified endotoxin preparation from culture fluids of Shigella sonnei, phase I (purified free endotoxin, PFE) and of three endotoxin preparations chemically extracted from the intact parent cells on human blood mononuclear leucocytes and platelets was investigated. PFE, like cell-extracted preparations, caused generation of strong procoagulant activity (tissue factor) by human mononuclear cells. PFE-stimulated cells, however, developed significantly greater activity than cells stimulated by the other endotoxins. they had about 4-fold more activity. Neither free nor cell-extracted preparations induced aggregation in human citrated or heparinized platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or unmasking of platelet factor 3 (PF3). These findings suggest that free endotoxin from Shigella sonnei, phase I resembles endotoxin extracted from cells by conventional procedures in their interaction with human platelets and mononuclear leucocytes. In view of the possible contribution of free endotoxin to endotoxemia in human and experimental gram-negative sepsis, our data that free endotoxin stimulates human mononuclear leucocytes to produce a potent trigger of blood coagulation (tissue factor) may be relevant to the understanding of the mechanism(s) responsible for the initiation of intravascular coagulation in severe human infections.