Comparison of tissue factor and prostacyclin production by human umbilical vein endothelial cells on Dacron vascular prostheses and Dacron smooth films.

The functional capacity of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) grown on Dacron (polyethylene terephthalate; PET) vascular prosthetic material was compared with the function of cells on smooth surfaced PET, tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS), and Natrix-coated TCPS. Prosthetic materials include two knitted fabrics (Bionit I and II) and two woven preparations (DeBakey Soft Woven and Extra Low Porosity). Two entities produced by HUVEC that influence blood coagulation were assessed: the procoagulant tissue factor (TF) and the anticoagulant prostacyclin (PGI2). Although TF activity was stimulated on all substrates by endotoxin (LPS), there was no difference among prostheses and no difference among smooth surface materials, but TF was reduced in cells on the prosthetic materials relative to those on smooth surface substrates. The reduced TF production by HUVEC on prosthetic material could be reversed by returning them to TCPS. In contrast, PGI2 production on prostheses was comparable to that on smooth surfaces for both stimulated and unstimulated cells. Stimulation with histamine (1 microM) gave a 2.4-fold increase in PGI2 whereas mellitin (10 micrograms/ml) increased production 12.5-fold. The differential response of HUVEC with regard to these two coagulation factors, one of which is secreted and the other membrane bound, may reflect the distorted shape of cells on fibers of the prosthesis.