Thromb Haemost 1991; 66(06): 725-729
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1646491
Original Article
Schattauer GmbH Stuttgart

The Effect of Interleukin-1 on Venous Endothelium – An Ultrastructural Study

R E Merton
The National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, South Mimms, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, UK
,
D Hockley
The National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, South Mimms, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, UK
,
E Gray
The National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, South Mimms, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, UK
,
S Poole
The National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, South Mimms, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, UK
,
D P Thomas
The National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, South Mimms, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, UK
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received 24 January 1991

Accepted 10 June 1991

Publication Date:
26 July 2018 (online)

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Summary

The effect of systemic interleukin-1 (IL-1) on venous endothelium in the presence and absence of stasis has been studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Recombinant human IL-1β at a concentration of 1 εg/kg or saline was injected intravenously into rabbits and allowed to circulate for 0.5 or 4.0 h after which complete stasis was induced for 1 h in an isolated segment of each jugular vein. One vein segment was then excised and the contents examined macroscopically for thrombi, while the other segment was fixed for SEM examination. When examined by SEM the endothelium from rabbits injected with IL-1β was perturbed with increased surface microvilli, blebs and gaps at cell junctions when compared with saline controls. Fibrin deposition was also observed after IL-1β, as was the adherence of essentially non-activated platelets to intact endothelium. However, macroscopic thrombi were not formed in isolated vein segments. We conclude that although fibrin strands and platelets were deposited on the endothelium, IL-1 is not a sufficiently powerful procoagulant stimulus to lead to an occlusive thrombus in acute experiments.