Determination of prothombinase activation after adding human purified prothrombin to human clot: comparison of hirudin, an activated factor II inhibitor, with DX9065a, an activated factor X inhibitor, on clot-associated thrombin and on prothrombin activation

Clot-associated prothrombinase and thrombin activities may contribute to thrombus extension after thrombolytic and anticoagulant treatment. We studied prothrombin activation after adding human purified prothrombin to human clot. By using two different drugs with an exclusive direct anti-activated factor X activity (DX9065a) or antiactivated factor II activity (r-hirudin), we tried to determine whether clot-bound thrombin and prothrombinase could be inhibited in our experimental system when human purified prothrombin was added. Standard clots were prepared from platelet-poor human plasma after addition of calcium. We measured clot-bound thrombin or free thrombin using a direct simple chromogenic assay. In parallel, prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 measurement was used to monitor prothrombin activation. For this, two protocols were used. We introduced the direct inhibitors before starting the activation process (protocol A) or at the time of the activation process (protocol B). We found a direct correlation between thrombin generation and prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 with an increase of thrombin activity on clots and in the incubation mixtures when clots were incubated in human purified pothrombin alone. Two protocols were used: in the first, clots were pre-incubated in presence of drugs before adding prothrombin; and in the second, clots were incubated in the presence of prothrombin and drugs. Prothrombin activation was not inhibited when clots were incubated with r-hirudin and consequently thrombin generation still occurred. However, added r-hirudin blocks thrombin activity on the clots and in the incubation mixture, but does not prevent prothrombin activation, as shown by the increase of prothrombin fragment 1 + 2. In contrast, DX9065a did not suppress clot-bound thrombin. However, DX9065a blocks prothrombin activation whichever protocol was used. The results show that hirudin is a poor inhibitor of thrombin generation in contrast to DX9065a. On the other hand, DX9065a cannot inhibit thrombin bound to clot in contrast to hirudin. (c) 2005 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.