A preliminary estimation of tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) and protein C in patients with intracranial tumors
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Updated: Feb 16, 2026
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Published on: December 29, 2023
Danuta Rość1, Ewa Grabarczyk1, Maciej Bierwagen2
1Department of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
Background:
In patients with intracranial tumors, hypercoagulability is observed due to brain tissue and tumor cells being the source of tissue factor.
Objectives:
The aim of the study was to assess tissue factor (TF), tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) and protein C in the plasma and tumor tissue homogenate in patients with intracranial tumors.
Material And Methods:
The study included 77 patients; 24 patients were diagnosed with glioma, 20 patients with meningioma and 33 patients with metastatic tumors; mean age - 54 years. The material for the study was the plasma and tumor tissue homogenate sampled during surgery. The control group consisted of 30 controls; mean age - 51 years. In the plasma of all the participants and in tumor tissue homogenate, the concentrations of TF-Ag, TFPI-Ag and protein C activity, and the concentration of total protein were measured. The results were converted per mg of protein.
Results:
In patients with intracranial tumors, elevated concentrations of TF-Ag, TFPI-Ag and protein C activity were noted, also after the conversion per mg of protein. A 100-fold higher concentration of TF per 1 mg of protein was found in tumor tissue compared to the patients' plasma. In tumor tissue homogenate, a lower TFPI concentration and a lower protein C activity were recorded.
Conclusions:
The study confirmed the essential prothrombotic properties in patients with intracranial tumors, expressed with an elevated TF level, as well as a tremendous amount of TF in tumor tissue homogenate derived from tumors. The elevated concentration of TFPI and protein C activity converted per mg of total protein should be analyzed in terms of their pleiotropic function, along with the participation in hemostasis control. It seems that the reduced protein C activity and low TFPI level are associated with the enormous TF value in tumor tissue homogenates.
