Platelet-aggregating activities of metastasizing tumor cells. II. Variety of the aggregation mechanisms.

The mechanisms by which B16, 3LL and MH134 tumor cells induce platelet aggregation were studied. The B16 and 3LL tumors, which have high or moderate procoagulant activities, aggregated platelets only in the presence of Ca2+ and plasma factors. MH134, which had much lower procoagulant activity, aggregated platelets even in the absence of these factors. The induction of aggregation by B16 and 3LL could be prevented by thrombin inhibitors but not by the ADP scavenger, suggesting that thrombin, generated by procoagulant activities of tumor cells themselves, might play a major role in initiating aggregation. MH134-induced aggregation was not affected by any of the inhibitors, indicating that the mechanisms by which MH134 initiate platelet aggregation are independent of both thrombin and ADP.