TISSUE FACTOR EXPRESSION IN BOVINE ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS INDUCED BY PASTEURELLA-HAEMOLYTICA LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE AND INTERLEUKIN-1

Pasteurella haemolytica in cattle produces fibrinohemorrhagic pleuropneumonia characterized by extensive pulmonary microvascular thrombosis and parenchymal necrosis. The purpose of this in vitro study was to determine if P. haemolytica lipopolysaccharide (LPS) promotes vascular thrombosis by inducing a procoagulant state in vascular endothelial cells. After treatment of confluent monolayers of bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells with various concentrations of either P. haemolytica LPS or Escherichia coli LPS, the procoagulant activity of the endothelial cells was determined using a chromogenic assay dependent on cellular tissue factor expression. The LPS treatment induced significant increases in cellular tissue factor expression in a LPS concentration- and time-dependent manner. Highest levels of tissue factor were present at 22 hours after treatment, although high LPS concentrations induced moderate tissue factor levels at 5 hours after treatment. Interleukin-1 also induced tissue factor expression in endothelial cells and enhanced the LPS-induced effects. This interleukin-1 effect could be diminished by concurrent use of an interleukin-1 receptor antagonist. These results demonstrate that LPS and cytokine promotion of a procoagulant state in endothelial cells occurs in vitro. Similar mechanisms may play a role in P. haemolytica-mediated pulmonary vascular thrombosis.