Skip to main content
PMC home page
Infection and Immunity logoLink to Infection and Immunity
. 1975 Oct;12(4):910–918. doi: 10.1128/iai.12.4.910-918.1975

Effect of pneumococci on blood clotting, platelets, and polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

J C Guckian
PMCID: PMC415373  PMID: 331

Abstract

Infections due to Streptococcus pneumoniae and products from the organism have been associated with alterations in blood clotting and function of platelets. Pneumococci and pneumococcal polysaccharide shortened the clotting times of whole blood, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and platelet-poor plasma (PPP) in vitro. Clotting times of PPP and PRP from C6-deficient animals were likewise decreased. The bacteria had no effect on the one-stage prothrombin time or the partial thromboplastin time when the organisms were used as activating agents. Platelets aggregated in the presence of pneumococci, but aggregation was prevented by the addition of cyclic adenosine 3', 5'-monophosphate (cAMP). Furthermore, cAMP corrected the shortened clotting time of PRP in the presence of pneumococci. The clumping and release of polymorphonuclear coagulant that was induced by pneumococci was not prevented by cAMP. Thus, pneumococci exert several dose-dependent thromboplastic effects: (i) release of platelet thromboplastic substances; (ii) a direct thromboplastic effect; and (iii) release of polymorphonuclear coagulant.

Full text

PDF
911

Images in this article

913Image
on p.913
914Image
on p.914
915Image
on p.915
916Image
on p.916

Selected References

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

  1. ALLISON F., Jr, LANCASTER M. G., CROSTHWAITE J. L. STUDIES ON THE PATHOGENESIS OF ACUTE INFLAMMATION. V. AN ASSESSMENT OF FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE IN VITRO THE PHAGOCYTIC AND ADHESIVE PROPERTIES OF LEUKOCYTES OBTAINED FROM RABBIT PERITONEAL EXUDATE. Am J Pathol. 1963 Nov;43:775–795. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BRECHER G., CRONKITE E. P. Morphology and enumeration of human blood platelets. J Appl Physiol. 1950 Dec;3(6):365–377. doi: 10.1152/jappl.1950.3.6.365. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bisno A. L., Freeman J. C. The syndrome of asplenia, pneumococcal sepsis, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Ann Intern Med. 1970 Mar;72(3):389–393. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-72-3-389. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bourne H. R., Lehrer R. I., Cline M. J., Melmon K. L. Cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate in the human lukocyte: synthesis, degradation, andeffects n neutrophil candidacidal activity. J Clin Invest. 1971 Apr;50(4):920–929. doi: 10.1172/JCI106564. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. COHN Z. A., HIRSCH J. G. The isolation and properties of the specific cytoplasmic granules of rabbit polymorphonuclear leucocytes. J Exp Med. 1960 Dec 1;112:983–1004. doi: 10.1084/jem.112.6.983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Coonrod J. D., Rytel M. W. Detection of type-specific pneumococcal antigens by counterimmunoelectrophoresis. II. Etiologic diagnosis of pneumococcal pneumonia. J Lab Clin Med. 1973 May;81(5):778–786. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Cronberg S., Nilsson I. M. Pneumococcal sepsis with generalised Shwartzman reaction. Acta Med Scand. 1970 Oct;188(4):293–299. doi: 10.1111/j.0954-6820.1970.tb08040.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. DES PREZ R. M., HOROWITZ H. I., HOOK E. W. Effects of bacterial endotoxin on rabbit platelets. I. Platelet aggregation and release of platelet factors in vitro. J Exp Med. 1961 Dec 1;114:857–874. doi: 10.1084/jem.114.6.857. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Dalldorf F. G., Pate D. H., Langdell R. D. Pulmonary capillary thrombosis in experimental pneumococcal septicemia. Arch Pathol. 1968 Feb;85(2):149–161. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Gewurz H., Shin H. S., Mergenhagen S. E. Interactions of the complement system with endotoxic lipopolysaccharide: consumption of each of the six terminal complement components. J Exp Med. 1968 Nov 1;128(5):1049–1057. doi: 10.1084/jem.128.5.1049. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Grant M. D., Horowitz H. I., Lorian V., Brodman H. R. Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome induced by pneumococcemic shock. JAMA. 1970 May 25;212(8):1373–1374. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. HOROWITZ H. I., DES PREZ R. M., HOOK E. W. Effects of bacterial endotoxin on rabbit platelets. II. Enhancement of platelet factor 3 activity in vitro and in vivo. J Exp Med. 1962 Nov 1;116:619–633. doi: 10.1084/jem.116.5.619. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Houlihan R. B., Copley A. L. The Adhesion of Rabbit Platelets to Bacteria. J Bacteriol. 1946 Oct;52(4):439–448. doi: 10.1128/jb.52.4.439-448.1946. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Kabins S. A., Lerner C. Fulminant pneumococcemia and sickle cell anemia. JAMA. 1970 Jan 19;211(3):467–471. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Niemetz J. Coagulant activity of leukocytes. Tissue factor activity. J Clin Invest. 1972 Feb;51(2):307–313. doi: 10.1172/JCI106815. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. PROCTOR R. R., RAPAPORT S. I. The partial thromboplastin time with kaolin. A simple screening test for first stage plasma clotting factor deficiencies. Am J Clin Pathol. 1961 Sep;36:212–219. doi: 10.1093/ajcp/36.3.212. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Perry J. E., Cluff L. E. Clinical and bacteriological events in experimental lethal pneumococcal infection. Tex Rep Biol Med. 1966 Spring;24(1):125–140. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Quie P. G., White J. G., Holmes B., Good R. A. In vitro bactericidal capacity of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes: diminished activity in chronic granulomatous disease of childhood. J Clin Invest. 1967 Apr;46(4):668–679. doi: 10.1172/JCI105568. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. RATNOFF O. D., NEBEHAY W. G. Multiple coagulative defects in a patient with the Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome. Ann Intern Med. 1962 Apr;56:627–632. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-56-4-627. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Robinson J. A., Apicella M. A. Isolation and Characterization of Neisseria meningitidis Groups A, C, X, and Y Polysaccharide Antigens. Infect Immun. 1970 Jan;1(1):8–14. doi: 10.1128/iai.1.1.8-14.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Salzman E. W., Levine L. Cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate in human blood platelets. II. Effect of N6-2'-o-dibutyryl cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate on platelet function. J Clin Invest. 1971 Jan;50(1):131–141. doi: 10.1172/JCI106467. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Schenk E. A., Panke T. W., Cole H. A. Glomerular and arteriolar thrombosis in pneumococcal septicemia. Arch Pathol. 1970 Feb;89(2):154–159. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Stehbens W. E., Sonnenwirth A. C., Kotrba C. Microcirculatory changes in experimental bacteremia. Exp Mol Pathol. 1969 Jun;10(3):295–311. doi: 10.1016/0014-4800(69)90059-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Stossel T. P., Levy R. Intravascular coagulation associated with pneumococcal bacteremia and symmetrical peripheral gangrene. Arch Intern Med. 1970 May;125(5):876–878. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Stossel T. P., Mason R. J., Hartwig J., Vaughan M. Quantitative studies of phagocytosis by polymorphonuclear leukocytes: use of emulsions to measure the initial rate of phagocytosis. J Clin Invest. 1972 Mar;51(3):615–624. doi: 10.1172/JCI106851. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Whitaker A. N. Infection and the spleen: association between hyposplenism, pneumococcal sepsis and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Med J Aust. 1969 Jun 14;1(24):1213–1219. doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1969.tb62293.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Zimmerman T. S., Müller-Eberhard H. J. Blood coagulation initiation by a complement-mediated pathway. J Exp Med. 1971 Dec 1;134(6):1601–1607. doi: 10.1084/jem.134.6.1601. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Infection and Immunity are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES