Procoagulant activity of peritoneal leukocytes: effects of cortisone and endotoxin

Procoagulant activity of peritoneal leukocytes from rabbits given cortisone acetate, endotoxin, and both materials was measured in studies designed to test the hypothesis that cortisone acetate prepares rabbits for the generalized Shwartzman reaction by enhancing leukocyte procoagulant activity. Two types of peritoneal leukocyte suspensions were examined: mixed granulocyte-macrophage suspensions and macrophage suspensions. In both types, procoagulant activity could be accounted for by the number of macrophages in the suspensions. Cortisone alone did not affect the procoagulant activity, whereas endotoxin increased the procoagulant activity. Suspensions from animals given both cortisone and endotoxin varied in activity depending upon cell composition. Granulocyte-macrophage suspensions had less apparent procoagulant activity than suspensions with endotoxin alone. In contrast, macrophage suspensions--particularly sonicated suspensions--had greater procoagulant activity than those with endotoxin alone. The ability of cortisone acetate to increase macrophage procoagulant activity after endotoxin could represent one mechanism whereby cortisone acetate prepares rabbits for the generalized Shwartzman reaction after endotoxin.