EFFECT OF LEUKOCYTE AND PLATELET TRANSFUSION ON ACTIVATION OF INTRAVASCULAR COAGULATION BY ENDOTOXIN IN GRANULOCYTOPENIC AND THROMBOCYTOPENIC RABBITS

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  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 84  (2) , 239-258
Abstract
The effect of transfusion of peritoneal leukocytes, platelets or cell suspension medium on the activation of intravascular coagulation and on the generation of capillary microclots was studied in 51 granulocytopenic and thrombocytopenic rabbits. Granulocytopenia and thrombocytopenia induced by feeding the cytotoxic drug busulfan prevented the activation of intravascular coagulation and the occurrence of renal glomerular microclots [the generalized Shwartzman reaction] after 2 injections of [Salmonella enteritidis] endotoxin. The transfusion of platelets into busulfan-pretreated rabbits increased the mean platelet count from 2400 to 205,000 cells/.mu.l, but platelet-transfused rabbits did not exhibit activation of intravascular coagulation after endotoxin injection. If granulocytopenic and thrombocytopenic rabbits were transfused with peritoneal leukocytes (1.0 .times. 109 cells/kg) before the 2nd endotoxin injection, activation of intravascular coagulation occurred, and microclot formation in renal glomerular capillaries was observed in a high percentage of animals. Positive reactions to endotoxin were obtained in leukocyte-transfused rabbits even with platelet counts of 1000 cells/.mu.l before the 2nd endotoxin injection. Thus platelets do not seem to be essentially involved in the activation of intravascular coagulation by endotoxin; the presence of leukocytes is required for triggering endotoxin-induced generalized intravascular coagulation.