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Thromb Haemost 1985; 54(04): 853-856
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1660147
Original Article
Schattauer GmbH Stuttgart

Anticoagulant Properties of Extracellular Slime Substance Produced by Staphylococcus Epidermidis

K Bykowska
The Laboratory of Clinical Biochemistry Institute of Haematology, Warsaw, Poland
,
A Ludwicka
1   The Department of Bacteriology, Institute of Hygiene, Warsaw, Poland
,
Z wegrzynowicz
The Laboratory of Clinical Biochemistry Institute of Haematology, Warsaw, Poland
,
S Lopaciuk
The Laboratory of Clinical Biochemistry Institute of Haematology, Warsaw, Poland
,
M Kopeć
2   The Department of Radiobiology and Health Protection, Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, Warsaw, Poland
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received 20 June 1985

Accepted 26 September 1985

Publication Date:
19 July 2018 (online)

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Summary

Slime produced by S. epidermidis strain KH 11 was extracted with phenol-saline. The saline phase was fractionated on a DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B column. The crude slime solution and its phenol-saline fraction were found to possess anticoagulant properties. They inhibited the coagulation of human plasma by thrombin, prolonged the activated partial thromboplastin time, but did not change the rate of plasma coagulation by reptilase. The anticoagulant effect of slime could be neutralized by rather high concentrations of protamine sulphate. In the presence of plasma, the staphylococcal slime also inhibited in a concentration dependent fashion the amidolytic activity of thrombin and factor Xa against synthetic chromogenic substrates. Both antithrombin III (AT III) and other plasma component(s), presumably heparin cofactor II, were required for the full expression of the slime effect. The anticoagulant action of slime was markedly less AT III dependent than that of heparin. The activity was resistant to heating (100° C, 30 min). Slime and its fractions were stronger inhibitors of thrombin than of factor Xa. Fraction IV separated by DEAE-Sepharose chromatography and particularly rich in galactose and glucuronic acid had the highest inhibitory potency. It is conceivable that slime component(s) similar to glycosaminogly-cans from other sources can carry the anticoagulant activity.

Keywords

Staphylococcal slime - Antithrombin activity - Anti-Xa activity
 

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