Porins from Salmonella typhimurium accelerate human blood coagulation in vitro by selective stimulation of thrombin activity: implications in septic shock DIC pathogenesis

The effect of porins, major hydrophobic outer membrane proteins purified fr om Salmonella typhimurium, on human blood coagulation was investigated. It was found that micromolar concentrations of porins accelerated markedly hum an blood coagulation in vitro. Using appropriate experiments, data were obt ained showing that the main target of the porin-induced procoagulant effect was thrombin. A possible binding of porins with thrombin has been suggeste d to be the basis of this effect. The implications of this finding in the p athogenesis of the disseminated intravascular coagulation syndrome (DIC) oc curring during the Gram-negative septic shock is discussed.