Multicentric evaluation of heparinase on aPTT, thrombin clotting time and a new PT reagent based on recombinant human tissue factor.

In a multicentric study the influence of heparinase (Hepzyme) was evaluated on activated partial thromboplastin time, thrombin clotting time and prothrombin time using the recombinant human tissue factor and synthetic phospholipid (phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidyl-serine reagent). Hepzyme itself does not have any influence on normal coagulation values of activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and prothrombin time (PT) assays whereas thrombin clotting time was prolonged by 10% (n = 60). In patients treated with unfractionated heparin for recent deep vein thrombosis (n = 47), plasma levels of aPTT, PT and thrombin clotting time (TCT) returned to the normal range in 100%, 97% and 91% after treatment with heparinase, respectively. Plasma samples of patients on coumarin were spiked with 2IU heparin/ml (n = 40) and were treated with heparinase. aPTT returned to baseline levels in 97.5%, PT in 99% and TCT in 69% of the samples. Plasma samples of patients receiving both heparin and coumarin were treated with heparinase (n = 18). aPTT and TCT values were shortened substantially and displayed the prolongation due to the effect of oral anticoagulants. PT values in these patients were also shortened. Freezing of plasma samples after treatment with heparinase resulted in a prolongation of the coagulation times in 15% of PT, 7% of aPTT and not of TCT values. The results show that treatment of plasma samples with heparinase abolishes the effect of unfractionated and low molecular weight heparin in vitro and ex vivo in patients during simultaneous treatment with oral anticoagulants. The use of heparinase may be of significance in patients with concomitant treatment of heparin and oral anticoagulants.

Identification of lipopolysaccharide-binding proteins in 70Z/3 cells by photoaffinity cross-linking.

A radioiodinated, photoactivatable derivative of Salmonella minnesota Re595 lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to label LPS-binding proteins in 70Z/3 cells. The labeled proteins were resolved by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and visualized by autoradiography. 125I-Labeled-2-(p-azidosalycylamido)1,3'-dithiopropionamide S. minnesota Re595 LPS (125I-ASD-Re595) labeled a limited number of proteins. The most prominent of these had a apparent molecular mass of 18 kDa. Less prominent labeling of 25- and 28-kDa proteins was also seen. Labeling was saturated by 5 micrograms/ml 125I-ASD-Re595 and was inhibited by a 10-100-fold excess of unlabeled LPS or lipid A. Labeling was maximal within 30 min at 37 degrees C; much less labeling occurred at lower temperatures. The proteins labeled with 125I-ASD-Re595 appear to be on the surface of the cell, since they can be digested by trypsin and were found in the membrane fraction of the cell but not in the cytosol. Studies with competitive inhibitors suggested that the proteins bind to the lipid A region of the LPS molecule. Biologically inactive lipid A analogs were poor inhibitors of labeling, suggesting that the LPS-binding proteins could discriminate between active lipid A and inactive analogs. These studies suggest that the 18- and 25-kDa proteins bind specifically to the lipid A region of the LPS molecule and should be considered as candidates for a functional LPS receptor.

Importance of self-phase modulation for amplitude- and phase-modulated coherent optical transmission systems: a comparison.

We demonstrate that the amount of self-phase modulation in a coherent optical transmission system grows more slowly for a phase-modulated than for an amplitude-modulated signal. Signal degradation is discussed in terms of variations in the spectral contents of the amplitude and phase modulations, and explicit analytical expressions are given for the linear modulation indices of phase and amplitude of phase-shift keying coherent transmission systems.