Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:22:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2006-12-08Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:10:06Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 oliveira_dgl_me_sjrp.pdf: 2024541 bytes, checksum: 9e617f882421a4dd2f2cc715da6fb79f (MD5) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Toxins isolated from vemos have been used as molecular tools to understand many physiological processes. The enzymes isolated from the venoms of Crotalus and Bothrops species interfere with the control and balance of the hemostatic system (PEREZ et al., 1996) and thus, the determination of their structures is potentially very important. These enzymes are serine proteinases that are similar to tyrpsin in their specificity but are generally referred to as thrombin-like enzymes due to their ability to cleave fibrinogen. The principal aim of this project was to isolate and characterize snake venom poteins that inetefere with the control and regulation of the hemostatic system in quantities and purity required for structural studies. Gel filtration, ion-exchange and HPLC chromatographic techniques were used to isolate convulxin, crotoxin, giroxin and crotamine, the principle components from the venoms of Crotalus durissus collineatus and Crotalus durissus terrificus and the serine and metalo proteinases from the venom of Bothrops jararaca. The purity of the samples was evaluated by SDS-PAGE and the specific activity of the samples was determined. Crystallization experiments were then carried out.

Introdução: A doença tromboembólica é um distúrbio complexo multicausal com sinais e sintomas inespecíficos, confundindo-se com outras enfermidades. Devido à sua gravidade buscam-se estratégias objetivando obter um diagnóstico precoce. O teste de dosagem do dímero - D plasmático parece ser uma alternativa para exclusão do diagnóstico de tromboembolismo venoso agudo. Objetivo: Avaliar o valor do teste de dosagem de dímero - D plasmático, utilizando o método Enzyme Linked Fluorescent Assay (ELFA), na rotina diagnóstica de tromboembolismo venoso agudo. Métodos: Em 89 pacientes com sinais e sintomas sugestivos de tromboembolismo pulmonar e/ou trombose venosa profunda foram realizadas dosagens do dímero - D pela técnica ELFA no equipamento VIDAS® - BioMérieux. Foram calculados os valores da sensibilidade, especificidade, valores preditivos positivo e negativo e acurácia do teste, bem como a curva ROC da amostra estudada. Todos os pacientes foram submetidos a exame por imagem para confirmação do evento tromboembólico agudo. Foi calculado o índice kappa para analisar o resultado do teste dímero - D versus resultados de exames por imagem. Resultados: Entre os 89 pacientes estudados (média de idade 54,3 anos; 51 mulheres), 36 (40,4%) apresentaram TEV e 53 não apresentaram trombose aguda (59,6%). Entre os pacientes sem trombose aguda 15 (28,3%) apresentaram resultado de dímero - D negativo. Todos pacientes com trombose apresentaram resultado de dímero - D positivo. O teste apresentou sensibilidade de 100%; especificidade de 28,3%; valor preditivo positivo de 48,6%; valor preditivo negativo de 100% e exatidão de 57,3%. A ASC para a amostra total estudada foi igual a 0,734, indicando que o teste é um bom preditor de trombose aguda. O valor do índice kappa para a amostra total foi igual a 0,24 (p<0,001), indicando uma concordância fraca entre dímero - D e diagnóstico confirmatório de trombose. Conclusão: A dosagem do dímero - D pelo método ELFA foi capaz de excluir o diagnóstico de tromboembolismo venoso agudo nessa amostra estudada. Os resultados obtidos nessa amostra estudada permitiram concluir que o uso do teste dímero - D em pacientes com suspeita de tromboembolismo venoso revelou alta sensibilidade no diagnóstico dessa enfermidade. / Introduction: The thromboembolic disease is a multicausal complex disturb with signals and symptoms that confusing itself with other diseases. Because its gravity strategies search objecting to get a faster diagnosis. The measure plasmatic D dimer test seems to be an alternative for exclusion of the diagnostic of acute venous thromboembolism. Objectives: To evaluate the value of the measure plasmatic D dimer test, using the method Enzyme Linked Fluorescent Assay (ELFA), in the diagnostic of acute venous thromboembolism. Methods: In 89 patients with signals and symptoms suggestive of pulmonary thromboembolism and/or deep vein thrombosis had been carried through measure D dimer by technique ELFA equipment VIDAS® - BioMérieux. The values of sensibility, accuracy specificity, predictive values positive and negative and of the test had been calculated, as well as curve ROC of the sample studied. All the patients had been submitted the image exams for the confirmation of the acute thromboembolism event. It was calculated kappa ratio to compare D dimer test results with image exams results. Results: Between 89 studied patients (mean of age 54.3 years; 51 women), 36 (40.4%) they had presented and 53 had not presented acute thrombosis (59.6%). It enters the patients without acute thromboembolism 15 (28.3%) had presented resulted negative of D dimer. All patients with thrombosis had presented resulted positive of D dimer. The test presented 100% sensibility; 28.3% of specificity; positive predictive value was 48.6%; 100% of negative predictive value and accuracy value was 57.3%. The area under the curve (AUC) to total sample studied was 0.734, it was showed that the test have a good prediction to acute thrombosis. The kappa ratio value was 0.24 (p<0.001) showing a bad concordat n to thrombosis diagnostic. Conclusion: The measure of D dimer by method ELFA was able to exclude the diagnostic of acute venous thromboembolism in this sample studied. The results obtained in this sample studied let to conclude that the D dimer test in patients with suspected of acute thromboembolism presented high sensibility to diagnostic of this disease.

Introdução: Considerando que uma melhor vigilância do estado hemostático dos doentes antes, durante e após o ato cirúrgico pode ter impacto significativo na sua evolução, e sabendo que os testes clássicos da coagulação têm limitações para avaliar a hemóstase na globalidade, e presumindo-se que o ROTEM seja um teste que permite efetuar esta avaliação da coagulação, fizemos hipótese de que este método seria uma ferramenta que teria a habilidade de prever sangramento em cirurgia cardíaca valvar. Objetivos: 1) Verificar se o ROTEM (Tromboelastometria Rotacional) ao analisar o estado da coagulação sanguínea de pacientes submetidos à cirurgia cardíaca valvar tem a capacidade de prever maior risco de sangramento com suas consequentes complicações; 2) Correlacionar comorbidades e história clinica pré-existentes à cirurgia cardíaca valvar com o nível de sangramento apresentado. Métodos: Foram incluídos 100 pacientes consecutivos submetidos à cirurgia cardíaca valvar com circulação extracorpórea (CEC) nos seguintes procedimentos: cirurgia cardíaca valvar em uma ou mais valvas, incluindo reoperações e cirurgias combinadas, realizadas no Instituto do Coração (INCOR) do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo. Estudo prospectivo que buscou avaliar a eficácia do uso da tromboelastometria rotacional na previsão de sangramento em cirurgia cardíaca valvar. Após a indução anestésica foram coletados: Tromboelastometria, coagulograma, fibrinogênio, dímero D e contagem de plaquetas; com a finalidade de verificar potencial risco de sangramento neste paciente. Correspondente ao tempo - 0 (T0). Estes mesmos exames foram recoletados na admissão na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Cirúrgica (UTIC), onde o paciente foi recebido após o procedimento cirúrgico cardíaco valvar. Correspondente ao tempo - 1 (T1). Optou-se pela coleta de T1 na UTI, pois a CEC já terá sido descontinuada e a heparina revertida com a administração da protamina. Resultados: Os pacientes fora subdivididos em quartis de acordo com o sangramento, configurando um total (n) de 100 pacientes com uma média de sangramento (débitos dos drenos) de 492,95 mL, apresentando um desvio padrão de 388,14 mL e 2260 mL. Não foi encontrada nenhuma variável estatisticamente significante entre os grupos, comparando-se exames laboratoriais pré-operatórios, tempo de CEC, tempo de pinçamento e uso de drogas vaso ativas. Porém, ocorreu diferença significativa (p = 0,015) nos níveis transfusionais de hemocomponentes entre os quartis. Ocorreu uma relação significante (p =0,014) entre o nível adequado de calcemia e tendência a menor sangramento nos grupos estudados. Os resultados do ROTEM - INTEM, ROTEM - EXTEM e ROTEM - FIBTEM não demonstraram diferença estatística significante entre os grupos estudados. Considerando-se os desfechos, baixo débito, choque cardiogênico, arritmia, AVC, insuficiência renal aguda, óbito e reoperação, apenas a reoperação apresentou resultados com diferença significante entre os grupos (p =0,024). Conclusões: 1- O ROTEM não demonstrou a capacidade de prever sangramento em cirurgia cardíaca valvar. 2 - Não houve correlação do sangramento apresentado com as comorbidades pré-existentes / INTRODUCTION: Considering that better monitoring of the haemostatic status of patients before, during and after the surgical procedure can have a significant impact on their evolution, and knowing that classical coagulation tests have limitations in assessing hemostasis overall, and assuming that ROTEM is a test that allows to perform this evaluation, we hypothesized that this method would be a tool that would have the ability to predict bleeding in valve heart surgery. OBJECTIVES: 1) To verify if the ROTEM (Rotational Thromboelastometry) when analyzing the blood coagulation status of patients submitted to valve heart surgery has the capacity to predict a greater risk of bleeding with its consequent complications; 2) To correlate pre-existing comorbidities and clinical history with valve heart surgery with the level of bleeding presented. METHODS: We included 100 consecutive patients submitted to cardiac valve surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in the following procedures: valvular heart surgery in one or more valves, including reoperations and combined surgeries performed at the Heart Institute of the University of São Paulo. It is a prospective study aimed at evaluating the efficacy of rotational thromboelastometry in the prediction of bleeding in valve heart surgery. After the anesthetic induction were collected: thromboelastometry, coagulogram, fibrinogen, D-dimer and platelet count, with the purpose of verifying potential risk of bleeding in this patient. These samples were defined as time - 0 (T0). These same exams were collected on admission to the Intensive Care Unit. These samples were defined as time - 1(T1 We chose to collect T1 in the ICU, because at this moment it is expected that the total reversal of anticoagulation has already occurred .. RESULTS: Patients were subdivided into quartiles according to bleeding, with a total of 100 patients with a mean bleed (drainage rates) of 492.95 mL. No statistically significant variables were found between the groups, comparing preoperative laboratory tests, CPB time, clamping time and use of vasoactive drugs. However, there was a significant difference (p = 0.015) in transfusion levels of blood components between the quartiles. There Abstract was a significant relationship (p = 0.014) between the adequate level of calcemia and tendency to less bleeding in the groups studied. The results of ROTEM - INTEM, ROTEM - EXTEM and ROTEM - FIBTEM did not show a statistically significant difference between the groups studied. Considering the outcomes, low rate, cardiogenic shock, arrhythmia, stroke, acute renal failure, death and reoperation, only reoperation presented results with significant difference between the groups (p = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: 1 - ROTEM did not demonstrate the ability to predict bleeding in valvular heart surgery. 2 - There was no correlation of bleeding presented with pre-existing comorbidities

L’angiogénèse tumorale correspond à la formation de nouveaux vaisseaux sanguins afin d’alimenter la tumeur et d’amplifier son développement. Cette étape constitue un facteur pronostique défavorable pour les patients et son inhibition représente un fort intérêt thérapeutique. Parmi les acteurs participant à l’angiogénèse tumorale, on retrouve l’enzyme de dégradation héparanase au sein du microenvironnement tumoral de nombreux cancers. Ces travaux de thèse ont pour objectif de développer des inhibiteurs spécifiques de l’héparanase à partir de polysaccharides sulfatés pour le traitement de l’angiogénèse tumorale. La première partie de ces travaux a été consacrée à l’élaboration de polysaccharides sulfatés de bas poids moléculaires issus de sources animales (Héparine, Chrondroïtine sulfate), algales (Fucoïdanes, Carraghénane-λ-ι-κ) ou bactérienne (Dextran sulfate). Nous avons utilisé pour cela un procédé de dépolymérisation radicalaire assisté par ultrasons, développé en 2013 au laboratoire, que nous avons associé à un procédé de modification chimique appelé glycol-split. Les composés produits ont été évalués pour leurs activités d’inhibition de l’héparanase et de la coagulation sanguine. Ce criblage a notamment permis l’identification d’un dérivé de bas poids moléculaire issu de Carraghénane-λ possédant une forte inhibition de l’héparanase pour une faible inhibition de la coagulation. La deuxième partie de ces travaux s’est ensuite concentrée sur l’évaluation du potentiel anti-angiogénique des inhibiteurs de l’héparanase. Dans ce but, nous avons dans un premier temps évalué le rôle de l’hypoxie et/ou le manque de nutriments sur la production d’héparanase par des cellules de cancers mammaires. Dans ces conditions de stress, nous avons observé que la lignée MCF-7 excrétait une forte quantité d’héparanase. L’analyse en Matrigel 3D du réseau angiogénique formé par des cellules microvasculaires HskMEC, en présence du surnageant de MCF-7 riche en héparanase, a montré une forte stimulation de l’angiogénèse. Les mêmes tests réalisés en présence des inhibiteurs de l’héparanase ont montré une inhibition de l’angiogénèse qui semblait corrélée avec l’inhibition de l’héparanase. / Tumor angiogenesis is defined by the spouting of new blood vessels from preexisting ones in order to sustain and amplify the tumor development. This crucial step is associated with poor prognosis for patients and it’s inhibition is therefore considered as a primising way to treat cancer. Among several actors participating in the angiogenesis process, the degradative enzyme heparanase is active in the tumor microenvironment of many cancers. The work presented in this thesis aim to develop specific heparanase inhibitors using sulfated polysaccharides for the treatment of tumor angiogenesis. The first part of this work is dedicated to the conception of low molecular weights sulfated polysaccharides obtainable from animal source (Héparine, Chondroïtine sulfate), algal source (Fucoidan, Carrageenan-λ-ι-κ) and bacterial source (dextran sulfate). To do so, we used a depolymeriation process based on free radicals associated to ultrasonic waves developed in 2013 in the laboratory. This depolymerization method was then coupled with a chemical process called glycol-split. The produced compounds were evaluated for their capacity to inhibit heparanase and blood coagulation. This screening phase lead to the identification of a low molecular weight compound produced from λ-carrageenan endowed with a strong heparanase inhibition power and a low impact on the blood coagulation. The second part of this work was then focused on the evaluation of the anti-angiogenic properties of our best heparanase inhibitors. To do so, we first evaluated the role of hypoxia and lack of nutrients on the heparanase production from breast cancer cell lines. In these higly stressful conditions, we observed that the MCF-7 cell line secreted a huge amount of heparanase. 3D Matrigel angiogenesis network formation using Hsk-MEC microvascular cells in the presence of MCF-7 heparanase rich supernatant showed a strong angiogenesis stimulation. Same tests realized in the presence of heparanase inhibitors showed an angiogenesis inhibition power that seemed correlated with heparanase inhibition.

La coagulopathie induite par la circulation extracorporelle (CEC) chez les enfants porteurs d’une cardiopathie congénitale et bénéficiant d’une chirurgie cardiaque est complexe et multifactorielle. La prise en charge de ces enfants est délicate et doit être spécifique aux caractéristiques de cette population. De plus, cette prise en charge doit être multimodale, basée sur la prévention et le traitement précoce et ciblé. <p>Dans la première partie de ce mémoire, nous avons étudié la place de l’acide tranexamique, agent antifibrinolytique, dans la prévention de la fibrinolyse chez les enfants bénéficiant d’une chirurgie cardiaque avec CEC. Nous avons évalué les propriétés pharmacocinétiques et pharmacodynamiques de la molécule dans cette population particulière. Notre hypothèse étant que l’utilisation de schémas adaptés pourrait permettre d’optimaliser la balance bénéfice/risque de l’utilisation prophylactique de l’acide tranexamique. <p>Nous avons également développé un modèle expérimental susceptible d’améliorer la sensibilité des tests viscoélastiques pour la détection de la fibrinolyse et qui pourrait être utilisé pour estimer la concentration minimale d’acide tranexamique nécessaire pour inhiber la fibrinolyse. <p>Dans la seconde partie de ce mémoire, nous avons étudié l’importance de l’implémentation d’une prise en charge adaptée de la coagulopathie, en utilisant un algorithme défini en tenant compte des caractéristiques de la population cible. Si le ROTEM® s’avère être un outil important, son utilisation doit être limitée aux enfants qui présentent un saignement anormal afin de guider l’administration de produits hémostatiques. L’ensemble de nos travaux contribue à l’amélioration de nos connaissances dans la prise en charge de l’enfant à risque de saignement en période péri-opératoire de chirurgie cardiaque. / Doctorat en Sciences médicales / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Cette thèse est consacrée à la modélisation mathématique de la coagulation sanguine et de la formation de thrombus dans des conditions normales et pathologiques. La coagulation sanguine est un mécanisme défensif qui empêche la perte de sang suite à la rupture des tissus endothéliaux. C'est un processus complexe qui est règlementé par différents mécanismes mécaniques et biochimiques. La formation du caillot sanguin a lieu dans l'écoulement sanguin. Dans ce contexte, l'écoulement à faible taux de cisaillement stimule la croissance du caillot tandis que la circulation sanguine à fort taux de cisaillement la limite. Les désordres qui affectent le système de coagulation du sang peuvent provoquer différentes anomalies telles que la thrombose (coagulation exagérée) ou les saignements (insuffisance de coagulation). Dans la première partie de la thèse, nous présentons un modèle mathématique de coagulation sanguine. Le modèle capture la dynamique essentielle de la croissance du caillot dans le plasma et le flux sanguin quiescent. Ce modèle peut être réduit à un modèle qui consiste en une équation de génération de thrombine et qui donne approximativement les mêmes résultats. Nous avons utilisé des simulations numériques en plus de l'analyse mathématique pour montrer l'existence de différents régimes de coagulation sanguine. Nous spécifions les conditions pour ces régimes sur différents paramètres pathophysiologiques du modèle. Ensuite, nous quantifions les effets de divers mécanismes sur la croissance du caillot comme le flux sanguin et l'agrégation plaquettaire. La partie suivante de la thèse étudie certaines des anomalies du système de coagulation sanguine. Nous commençons par étudier le développement de la thrombose chez les patients présentant une carence en antihrombine ou l'une des maladies inflammatoires. Nous déterminons le seuil de l'antithrombine qui provoque la thrombose et nous quantifions l'effet des cytokines inflammatoires sur le processus de coagulation. Puis, nous étudions la compensation de la perte du sang après un saignement en utilisant un modèle multi-échelles qui décrit en particulier l'érythropoïèse et la production de l'hémoglobine. Ensuite, nous évaluons le risque de thrombose chez les patients atteints de cancer (le myélome multiple en particulier) et le VIH en combinant les résultats du modèle de coagulation sanguine avec les produits des modèles hybrides (discret-continues) multi-échelles des systèmes physiologiques correspondants. Finalement, quelques applications cliniques possibles de la modélisation de la coagulation sanguine sont présentées. En combinant le modèle de formation du caillot avec les modèles pharmacocinétiques pharmacodynamiques (PK-PD) des médicaments anticoagulants, nous quantifions l'action de ces traitements et nous prédisons leur effet sur des patients individuels / This thesis is devoted to the mathematical modelling of blood coagulation and clot formation under flow in normal and pathological conditions. Blood coagulation is a defensive mechanism that prevents the loss of blood upon the rupture of endothelial tissues. It is a complex process that is regulated by different mechanical and biochemical mechanisms. The formation of the blood clot takes place in blood flow. In this context, low-shear flow stimulates clot growth while high-shear blood circulation limits it. The disorders that affect the blood clotting system can provoke different abnormalities such thrombosis (exaggerated clotting) or bleeding (insufficient clotting). In the first part of the thesis, we introduce a mathematical model of blood coagulation. The model captures the essential dynamics of clot growth in quiescent plasma and blood flow. The model can be reduced to a one equation model of thrombin generation that gives approximately the same results. We used both numerical simulations and mathematical investigation to show the existence of different regimes of blood coagulation. We specify the conditions of these regimes on various pathophysiological parameters of the model. Then, we quantify the effects of various mechanisms on clot growth such as blood flow and platelet aggregation. The next part of the thesis studies some of the abnormalities of the blood clotting system. We begin by investigating the development of thrombosis in patients with antihrombin deficiency and inflammatory diseases. We determine the thrombosis threshold on antithrombin and quantify the effect of inflammatory cytokines on the coagulation process. Next, we study the recovery from blood loss following bleeding using a multiscale model which focuses on erythropoiesis and hemoglobin production. Then, we evaluate the risk of thrombosis in patients with cancer (multiple myeloma in particular) and HIV by combining the blood coagulation model results with the output of hybrid multiscale models of the corresponding physiological system. Finally, possible clinical applications of the blood coagulation modelling are provided. By combining clot formation model with pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamics (PK-PD) models of anticoagulant drugs, we quantify the action of these treatments and predict their effect on individual patients

La drépanocytose est associée à un état d’hypercoagulabilité qui se manifeste sur le plan clinique par un risque augmenté de thromboses artérielles et veineuses. L’exploration de la coagulation chez les patients drépanocytaires montrait surtout une activation de la coagulation et des altérations des acteurs pro- et anticoagulants du système hémostatique. Les tests de coagulation globale de routine tels que l’aPTT et le PT sont peu sensibles aux états d’hypercoagulabilité. La fonction hémostatique globale des patients drépanocytaires était donc peu connue. Le test de génération de thrombine est un test de coagulation globale, sensible aux états d’hypo- et d’hypercoagulabilité, facile à réaliser de nos jours avec une bonne reproductibilité. Nous l’avons utilisé pour démontrer que la coagulation globale des enfants drépanocytaires était caractérisée par une accélération des réactions de formation de la thrombine et par une augmentation du potentiel de thrombine endogène. Nous avons par la suite montré que les taux élevés de microparticules pro-coagulantes et du facteur VIII chez les enfants drépanocytaires seraient les facteurs déterminant l’accélération des réactions de formation de thrombine tandis que la réduction de l’activité anticoagulante du système protéine C / protéine S serait le facteur déterminant l’augmentation du potentiel de thrombine endogène. Les marqueurs de l’hémolyse corrélaient significativement avec ces facteurs ainsi qu’avec les paramètres de génération de thrombine, suggérant que l’hémolyse serait le mécanisme pathologique à la base de l’augmentation du potentiel de génération de thrombine chez les enfants drépanocytaires. Les paramètres de génération de thrombine n’étaient pas significativement différents entre l’état de stabilité clinique et l’état de crise vaso-occlusive. Chez les enfants hétérozygotes composites, ces paramètres avaient des valeurs intermédiaires entre celles des enfants contrôles et celles des enfants drépanocytaires homozygotes. Près de 40 % des enfants drépanocytaires homozygotes avaient un potentiel hémostatique supérieur à la moyenne + 2DS des enfants contrôles du même âge. Ces enfants présentant une génération de thrombine élevée se distinguaient des autres par leur plus jeune âge, une plus grande intensité de l’hémolyse, une plus courte durée de traitement par l’hydroxyurée et des vélocités du flux sanguin au doppler transcrânien plus élevées. Ces données suggèrent davantage un lien entre le potentiel de génération de thrombine et la vasculopathie cérébrale chez les enfants drépanocytaires. L’analyse de 4 enfants ayant reçu une greffe de cellules souches hématopoïétiques montrait une tendance à la réduction du potentiel de génération de thrombine et des autres altérations de la coagulation trois mois après la greffe. Le test de génération de thrombine permet une meilleure exploration de la coagulation globale des enfants drépanocytaires. Sa réalisation sur sang total permettrait une analyse plus globale en intégrant la participation des éléments figurés du sang particulièrement les globules rouges./<p>Sickle cell disease is associated with a hypercoagulable state that express clinically by an increased risk of arterial and venous thrombosis. The exploration of coagulation in sickle cell patients showed mainly activation of coagulation and alterations pro-and anticoagulants actors of the hemostatic system. Routine global testing of coagulation such as the prothrombin time and the activated partial thromboplastin time are insensitive to hypercoagulable states. The overall hemostatic function in sickle cell disease was so little known. The thrombin generation test is a test of overall coagulation. It is sensitive to both hypo- and hypercoagulable states. It is easy to perform nowadays with good reproducibility. We used it to demonstrate that the overall coagulation of sickle cell disease children was characterized by an acceleration of the reactions of thrombin formation and an increase of the endogenous thrombin potential. We have subsequently shown that high levels of procoagulant microparticles and high levels of factor VIII in children with sickle cell disease are the factors determining the acceleration of reactions leading to thrombin formation. Our results also showed that the reduced activity of the protein C / S anticoagulant pathway is a determining factor of the increased endogenous thrombin potential in sickle cell children. Markers of hemolysis correlated significantly with these factors as well as the parameters of thrombin generation, suggesting that hemolysis is probably the pathological mechanism underlying the increased potential for thrombin generation in children with sickle cell disease. Nearly 40% of children with homozygous sickle cell disease had their hemostatic potential above the mean + 2SD that of controls children of the same age. These children with high thrombin generation differed from others by their younger age, greater intensity of hemolysis, a shorter duration of treatment with hydroxyurea. They also had higher velocity of blood flow using transcranial Doppler. These data further suggest a potential link between thrombin generation and cerebral vasculopathy in children with sickle cell disease. Analysis of four children who received hematopoietic stem cells transplantation showed a tendency towards a reversibility of thrombin generation and other alterations of coagulation three months after the transplant. Thrombin generation assay allows a better exploration of the global coagulation of sickle cell disease children. Its realization on whole blood would be a more comprehensive analysis as it would integrate the participation of blood cells particularly red blood cells. / Doctorat en Sciences biomédicales et pharmaceutiques / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Medical devices, such as catheters and heart valves, are an important part of patient care. However, blood-contacting devices can activate the blood coagulation cascade to produce factor (f) Xa, the clotting enzyme that induces thrombin generation. By activating platelets and converting soluble fibrinogen to fibrin, thrombin leads to blood clot formation. Blood clots that form on medical devices create problems because they may foul the device and/or serve as a nidus for infection. In addition, clots can break off from the device, travel through the circulation and lodge in distant organs; a process known as embolization. This is particularly problematic with central venous catheters because clots that form on them can break off and lodge in pulmonary arteries, thereby producing a pulmonary embolism. Similarly, clots that form on heart valves can break off and lodge in cerebral arteries, thereby producing a stroke. Therefore, anticoagulants, blood thinning drugs, are frequently used to prevent clotting on medical devices. Conventional anticoagulants, such as heparin and warfarin, target multiple clotting factors. Heparin binds to antithrombin in plasma and accelerates the rate at which it inhibits fXa, thrombin and many other clotting enzymes. Warfarin, which is a vitamin K antagonist, attenuates thrombin generation by interfering with the synthesis of the vitamin K-dependent clotting factors, which include fX and prothrombin, the precursor of thrombin. In contrast to heparin and warfarin, more recent anticoagulants inhibit only a single clotting enzyme. For example, fondaparinux, a synthetic heparin fragment, only inhibits fXa and dabigatran, an oral thrombin inhibitor, only targets thrombin. Although effective for many indications, fondaparinux was less effective than heparin for preventing clotting on catheters in patients undergoing heart interventions and dabigatran was less effective than warfarin for preventing strokes in patients with mechanical heart valves. The failure of these new anticoagulants highlights the need for a better understanding into the drivers of clotting on medical devices. Therefore, the overall purpose of this thesis is to gain this understanding so that more rational approaches to its prevention can be identified. In the classical model of blood coagulation, clotting is triggered via two distinct pathways; the tissue factor (TF) pathway or extrinsic pathway and the contact pathway or intrinsic pathway; pathways which are initiated by fVIIa and fXIIa, respectively. The mechanism by which medical devices initiate clotting is uncertain. Platelet and complement activation and microparticle formation have been implicated, which would drive clotting via the TF pathway. Alternatively, medical devices can bind and activate fXII, thereby initiating the contact pathway. We hypothesized that medical devices trigger clotting via the contact pathway and induce the local generation of fXa and thrombin in concentrations that exceed the capacity of fondaparinux and dabigatran to inhibit them. To test this hypothesis, we used catheters as a prototypical medical device and we used a combination of in vitro and rabbit models. Several lines of evidence indicate that catheters initiate clotting via the contact pathway. First, catheter segments shortened the clotting time of human plasma, and this activity was attenuated in fXII- or fXI-deficient plasma, which are key components of the contact pathway, but not in fVII-deficient plasma, which is the critical component of the extrinsic pathway. Second, corn trypsin inhibitor (CTI), a potent and specific inhibitor of fXIIa, attenuates catheter thrombosis. Third, selective knockdown of fXII or fXI with antisense oligonucleotides attenuated catheter-induced thrombosis in rabbits, whereas knockdown of fVII had no effect. Therefore, these results revealed the importance of the contact pathway in device-associated thrombosis, and identified CTI or fXII or fXI knockdown as novel strategies for preventing this problem. Focusing on fXIIa as the root cause of medical device associated clotting, we coated catheters with CTI using a polyethylene glycol (PEG) spacer. In addition to unmodified catheters, other controls included catheters coated with albumin via a PEG spacer or catheters coated with PEG alone. Compared with unmodified catheters or with the other controls, CTI-coated catheters attenuated clotting in buffer or plasma systems and were resistant to occlusion in rabbits. These findings support the concept that catheter-induced clotting is driven via the contact pathway and identify CTI coating as a viable strategy for its prevention. We next set out to test the hypothesis that fondaparinux and dabigatran, which inhibit fXa and thrombin, respectively, are less effective than heparin, which inhibits multiple clotting enzymes. Fondaparinux and dabigatran were less effective than heparin at preventing catheter induced clotting and thrombin generation, respectively. Likewise, in a rabbit model of catheter thrombosis, fondaparinux was less effective than heparin and dabigatran was only effective when administered at doses that yielded plasma dabigatran levels similar to those found at peak in human given the drug; at trough levels, dabigatran was no better than placebo. Finally, we also showed synergy between heparin and either fondaparinux or dabigatran. Thus, when co-administered to rabbits in doses that on their own had no effect, the combination of fondaparinux or dabigatran plus heparin extended the time to catheter thrombosis. These findings support the hypothesis that when catheters trigger clotting via the contact pathway, fXa and thrombin are generated in concentrations that overwhelm the capacity of fondaparinux or dabigatran to inhibit them. Furthermore, the synergy between heparin and fondaparinux or dabigatran has clinical implications because it explains why supplemental heparin attenuated the risk of catheter thrombosis in patients treated with fondaparinux who underwent cardiac procedures and it identifies the potential role of supplemental heparin in dabigatran-treated patients who require such interventions. In summary, we have shown that catheters trigger clotting via the contact pathway and have identified CTI coating or fXII or fXI knockdown as viable strategies for prevention of this problem. In addition, for prevention of catheter thrombosis, we also have shown that heparin, which inhibits multiple coagulation enzymes, is more effective than fondaparinux or dabigatran, which only inhibit fXa or thrombin, respectively; findings consistent with the clinical observations. Moreover, the synergy that we observed between fondaparinux or dabigatran and heparin identifies supplemental heparin as strategy for preventing catheter thrombosis in patients receiving these drugs. Taken together, these studies provide insight into the mechanisms of catheter thrombosis and potential strategies for its prevention. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)