Immunological Studies on the Blood Coagulation Factor X and Its Warfarin-induced Precursor

Abstract

SummaryMonospecific antisera against the human coagulation factor X have been raised in rabbits by injections of purified antigen. Such antiserum was used to study the cross-reacting material without factor X activity which is present in the blood of warfarin-treated patients and animals as well as to study the changes in factor X during coagulation. One patient with congenital factor X deficiency was also studied.A complete identity was found between factor X in Macaca mulatta and human blood. During warfarin treatment antigenically cross-reacting material appeared in plasma. This was not adsorbed on BaSO4, and inhibited the coagulation activity of normal factor X.Both this material, normal factor X and the cross-reacting material in plasma from a patient congenitally deficient in factor X gave rise to split products during coagulation by the intrinsic pathway, i. e. all of them served as substrates for the intrinsic activator of factor X.