Interaction of thrombin with endothelial cells in the presence of fibrinogen and alpha 2-macroglobulin.

Binding of thrombin to cultured endothelial cells has been studied in the presence of fibrinogen and alpha 2-macroglobulin. Both fibrinogen and alpha 2-macroglobulin inhibit the interaction of thrombin with endothelial cells. Whereas fibrinogen decreases the rate of activation by the thrombin-thrombomodulin complex of protein C, thrombomodulin inhibits the rate of inactivation by alpha 2-macroglobulin thrombin. alpha 2-macroglobulin also binds to endothelial cells; (Kd = 3 x 10(-7) M with 3 x 10(5) binding sites/cell), and the rate of binding of the alpha 2-macroglobulin to endothelial cells is faster than its complex formation with the thrombin. The data suggest that essentially the cell-bound form of fibrinogen and alpha 2-macroglobulin influences thrombin binding and functions.