Platelet-coagulant protein interactions in contact activation

Previous studies have suggested that human platelets can promote the activation of factor XI by two different mechanisms, one requiring factor XII and ADP-treated platelets and the other requiring collagen-treated platelets in the apparent absence of factor XII. To investigate these hypotheses, isolated platelets were tested for their capacity to promote the activation and cleavage of purified factors XII and XI in various mixtures of purified factor XII, kallikrein, high molecular weight kininogen, and factor XI. That ADP- or collagen-treated platelets can promote the proteolytic activation of factor XII in mixtures containing kallikrein and HMW kininogen was shown by (1) the proteolytic cleavage of factor XII, (2) the development of factor XIIa coagulant activity, and (3) the proteolytic cleavage of 125I-labeled factor XII. Platelets treated with collagen or thrombin were shown to both coagulant assays and cleavage studies to participate with HMW kininogen and kallikrein in the proteolytic activation of factor XI by mechanisms that are partially dependent upon and partially independent of factor XII. These studies demonstrate that platelets can promote the proteolytic activation of factor XII by kallikrein and of factor XI by both factor XII-dependent and factor XII-independent mechanisms.