The coagulant-active phospholipid content is a major determinant of in vivo thrombogenicity of prothrombin complex...

In vitro evaluation of prothrombin complex concentrates in a thrombin generation assay, using DAPA and purified components of the prothrombinase complex, demonstrated significant levels of coagulant-active "phospholipid replacing" activity. Quantification of this activity showed a significant correlation (r = 0.8747, p less than 0.01) with thrombogenicity measured in vivo in a stasis model in rabbits. Extracted lipid material retained full phospholipid replacing activity in the vitro assay. Thin-layer chromatographic characterization confirmed the presence of phospholipids with known coagulant activity in vitro. In vivo, the extracted material was nonthrombogenic but augmented the thrombogenicity of purified factor Xa. Substitution of a synthetic coagulant-active phospholipid (phosphatidylcholine-phosphatidylserine lipid vesicles) for the extracted phospholipid produced a similar augmentation of a factor-Xa-induced thrombogenicity in vivo. It is concluded that the coagulant-active phospholipid content of prothrombin complex concentrates is a major determinant of thrombogenicity but requires the presence of activated clotting factors for its expression in vivo.