Effect of von Willebrand factor on clot structure and lysis

Von Willebrand Factor (vWF) is constitutively secreted by the endothelium and incorporated in the fibrin clots under slow clotting conditions. The aim of the present work was to study the effect of vWF on clot structure and lysis. Purified fibrinogen was mixed with vWF or Tris-buffered saline and clotted with thrombin - activated factor XIII. Fibrin polymerization was followed by turbidity at 350 nm during 2.5 h. After this time, plasmin was added on the top of the clots, and the optical density (OD) was read until baseline values. vWF effect on network[Combining Acute Accent]s porosity was evaluated by permeation using the same clotting conditions as for fibrin polymerization. Clot structure was visualized and analyzed by laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM). The rate of fibrin polymerization was 1.47 mOD/s in the presence of vWF and 0.5 mOD/s when vWF was not added (P < 0.05). The fibrin lysis rate was approximately four times faster when vWF was added to fibrinogen. The fibrin network porosity was (20.4 ± 1.6) × 10 cm with vWF and (8.3 ± 1.2) × 10 cm without external vWF (P < 0.05). The analysis of LSCM images showed that vWF increased fibrin fibers diameter and the networks[Combining Acute Accent] pores size. In conclusion, vWF covalently crosslinked to fibrin modify its structure (increases fibrin diameter and the pores filling space of the meshwork) that accelerates the fibrin lysis rate.