Skip to main content
The Journal of Experimental Medicine logoLink to The Journal of Experimental Medicine
. 1962 May 1;115(5):1065–1082. doi: 10.1084/jem.115.5.1065

RETICULOENDOTHELIAL CLEARANCE OF CIRCULATING FIBRIN IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF THE GENERALIZED SHWARTZMAN REACTION

Leung Lee 1
PMCID: PMC2137542  PMID: 14463528

Abstract

Intravenous injections of endotoxin or infusions of thrombin in the rabbit initiate intravascular coagulation but do not usually result in massive deposition of fibrin. It has been proposed that the reticuloendothelial system may function efficiently in the removal of circulating fibrin; its blockade permits reproduction of all of the features of the generalized Shwartzman reaction by infusions of thrombin. In the rabbit the reticuloendothelial system may constitute the major protective mechanism against the vasculo-occlusive lesions of the generalized Shwartzman reaction, which appears to be the direct consequence of intravascular fibrin formation and deposition.

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (1.1 MB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. ALKJAERSIG N., FLETCHER A. P., SHERRY S. xi-Aminocaproic acid: an inhibitor of plasminogen activation. J Biol Chem. 1959 Apr;234(4):832–837. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. ASTRUP T., MULLERTZ S. The fibrin plate method for estimating fibrinolytic activity. Arch Biochem Biophys. 1952 Oct;40(2):346–351. doi: 10.1016/0003-9861(52)90121-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. ATKINS E., WOOD W. B., Jr Studies on the pathogenesis of fever. I. The presence of transferable pyrogen in the blood stream following the injection of typhoid vaccine. J Exp Med. 1955 May 1;101(5):519–528. doi: 10.1084/jem.101.5.519. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. BENACERRAF B., HALPERN B. N., STIFFEL C., CRUCHAUD S., BIOZZI G. Phagocytose d'une fraction du sérum chauffé et iodé par le système réticulo-endothélial et comportement consécutif de ses cellules a l'égard d'autres colloïdes. Ann Inst Pasteur (Paris) 1955 Dec;89(6):601–620. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. BENACERRAF B., SEBESTYEN M. M. Effect of bacterial endotoxins on the reticuloendothelial system. Fed Proc. 1957 Sep;16(3):860–867. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. BIOZZI G., BENACERRAF B., HALPERN B. N. Quantitative study of the granulopectic activity of the reticulo-endothelial system. II. A study of the kinetics of the R. E. S. in relation to the dose of carbon injected; relationship between the weight of the organs and their activity. Br J Exp Pathol. 1953 Aug;34(4):441–457. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. BRUNSON J. G., GAMBLE C. N., THOMAS L. Morphologic changes in rabbits following the intravenous administration of meningococcal toxin. I. The effects produced in young and in mature animals by a single injection. Am J Pathol. 1955 May-Jun;31(3):489–499. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. BRUNSON J. G., THOMAS L., GAMBLE C. N. Morphologic changes in rabbits following the intravenous administration of meningococcal toxin. II. Two appropriately spaced injections; the rôle of fibrinoid in the generalized Shwartzman reaction. Am J Pathol. 1955 Jul-Aug;31(4):655–667. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Beeson P. B., Technical Assistance of Elizabeth Roberts TOLERANCE TO BACTERIAL PYROGENS : II. ROLE OF THE RETICULO-ENDOTHELIAL SYSTEM. J Exp Med. 1947 Jun 30;86(1):39–44. doi: 10.1084/jem.86.1.39. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. CAREY F. J., BRAUDE A. I., ZALESKY M. Studies with radioactive endotoxin. III. The effect of tolerance on the distribution of radioactivity after intravenous injection of Escherichia coli endotoxin labeled with Cr51. J Clin Invest. 1958 Mar;37(3):441–457. doi: 10.1172/JCI103624. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. GOOD R. A., THOMAS L. Studies on the generalized Shwartzman reaction. II. The production of bilateral cortical necrosis of the kidneys by a single injection of bacterial toxin in rabbits previously treated with thorotrast or trypan blue. J Exp Med. 1952 Dec;96(6):625–641. doi: 10.1084/jem.96.6.625. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. GOOD R. A., THOMAS L. Studies on the generalized Shwartzman reaction. IV. Prevention of the local and generalized Shwartzman reactions with heparin. J Exp Med. 1953 Jun;97(6):871–888. doi: 10.1084/jem.97.6.871. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. HOWARD J. G., ROWLEY D., WARDLAW A. C. Investigations on the mechanism of stimulation of non-specific immunity by bacterial lipopolysaccharides. Immunology. 1958 Jul;1(3):181–203. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. MONKHOUSE F. C., MILOJEVIC S. Changes in fibrinogen level after infusion of thrombin and thromboplastin. Am J Physiol. 1960 Dec;199:1165–1168. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1960.199.6.1165. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. MULLERTZ S. Effect of carboxylic and amino acids on fibrinolysis produced by plasmin, plasminogen activator and proteases. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1954 Feb;85(2):326–329. doi: 10.3181/00379727-85-20870. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. MULLERTZ S. Formation and properties of the activator of plasminogen and of human and bovine plasmin. Biochem J. 1955 Nov;61(3):424–434. doi: 10.1042/bj0610424. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. McKAY D. G., GITLIN D., CRAIG J. M. Immunochemical demonstration of fibrin in the generalized Shwartzman reaction. AMA Arch Pathol. 1959 Mar;67(3):270–273. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. McKAY D. G., SHAPIRO S. S. Alterations in the blood coagulation system induced by bacterial endotoxin. I. In vivo (generalized Shwartzman reaction). J Exp Med. 1958 Mar 1;107(3):353–367. doi: 10.1084/jem.107.3.353. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. McKAY D. G., SHAPIRO S. S., SHANBERGE J. N. Alterations in the blood coagulation system induced by bacterial endotoxins. II. In vitro. J Exp Med. 1958 Mar 1;107(3):369–376. doi: 10.1084/jem.107.3.369. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. PAPPAS G. D., ROSS M. H., THOMAS L. Studies on the generalized Shwartzman reaction. VIII. The appearance, by electron microscopy, of intravascular fibrinoid in the glomerular capillaries during the reaction. J Exp Med. 1958 Mar 1;107(3):333–340. doi: 10.1084/jem.107.3.333. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. QUICK A. J., HUSSEY C. V., HARRIS J., PETERS K. Occult intravascular clotting by means of intravenous injection of thrombin. Am J Physiol. 1959 Oct;197:791–794. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1959.197.4.791. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. RATNOFF O. D., CONLEY C. L. Studies on afibrinogenemia. II. The defibrinating effect on dog blood of intravenous injection of thromboplastic material. Bull Johns Hopkins Hosp. 1951 May;88(5):414–424. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. SHAPIRO S. S., McKAY D. G. The prevention of the generalized Shwartzman reaction with sodium warfarin. J Exp Med. 1958 Mar 1;107(3):377–381. doi: 10.1084/jem.107.3.377. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. THOMAS L., GOOD R. A. Studies on the generalized Shwartzman reaction: I. General observations concerning the phenomenon. J Exp Med. 1952 Dec;96(6):605–624. doi: 10.1084/jem.96.6.605. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. THOMAS L., SMITH R. T., VON KORFF R. Cold-precipitation by heparin of a protein in rabbit and human plasma. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1954 Aug-Sep;86(4):813–818. doi: 10.3181/00379727-86-21241. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. VON KAULLA K. N. Intravenous protein-free pyrogen; a powerful fibrinolytic agent in man. Circulation. 1958 Feb;17(2):187–198. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.17.2.187. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. ZWEIFACH B. W., NAGLER A. L., TROLL W. Some effects of proteolytic inhibitors on tissue injury and systemic anaphylaxis. J Exp Med. 1961 Feb 1;113:437–450. doi: 10.1084/jem.113.2.437. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Experimental Medicine are provided here courtesy of The Rockefeller University Press

RESOURCES