Limited ability to activate protein C confers left atrial endocardium a thrombogenic phenotype: a role in cardioembolic stroke?

ABSTRACT:

Background and purpose

Atrial fibrillation is the most important risk factor for cardioembolic stroke. Thrombi form in the left atrial appendage rather than in the right. The causes of this different thrombogenicity are not well-understood. The goal herein was to compare the activation of the anticoagulant protein C and the thrombomodulin and endothelial protein C receptor/activated protein C receptor expression on the endocardium between right and left atria.

Methods

We harvested the atria of 6 monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) and quantified their ability to activate protein C ex vivo and we measured the thrombomodulin and endothelial protein C receptor expression by immunofluorescence.

Results

We found the ability to activate protein C decreased by half (P=0.028) and t

SUBMITTER: Cervero J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3178262 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature