The role of tissue factor in systemic inflammatory response syndrome

Tissue factor (TF) is a major initiator of extrinsic pathway of blood coagulation. A dual role of TF in the extensive crosstalk between blood coagulation and inflammation has recently become apparent. The majority of the cases of systemic inflammatory response syndrome, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and sepsis are accompanied by hyperactivation of TF in circulating monocytes and damaged tissue. Systemic Gram-negative infection induces expression of TF by vascular cells. In addition to extrinsic coagulation pathway, TF induces proinflammatory signaling cascade originating from activation of protease-activated receptors. Because TF-activated proteolytic cascade is placed in a nexus between coagulation and inflammation, early modulation of TF activity presently becomes a tempting experimental therapeutic strategy in systemic inflammatory response syndrome patients.