Humoral factor that specifically regulates factor X levels in rabbits (coagulopoietin-X)

A B S T R A C T A heat-stable humoral substance (coagulopoietin-X) is present in rabbits partially depleted of Factor X, which is capable of raising Factor X levels when injected into recipient rabbits. Rabbits were partially depleted of Factor X by slow infusion of a globulin fraction of goat anti-rabbit Factor X antibody. This resulted in the reduction of Factor X to 40-50% of nonnal at 1 h and 60-70% of normal at 6 h. No effect was noted on levels of Factors II, V, or VII. Plasma from these animals, when injected into 10 recipients, specifically raised Factor X levels when measured by four different assays: one-stage assay with bovine VII- and X-deficient plasma and Russell's viper venom; one-stage assay with human X-deficient plasma and thromboplastin; chromogenic substrate assay with Russell's viper venom; and an immunologic assay (Laurell technique). No rise was noted in two control experiments in which normal plasma was injected into recipient rabbits from 2 rabbits injected with a globulin fraction of normal goat serum, nor in 12 rabbits injected with plasma from normal rabbits, nor in 5 rabbits injected with boiled plasma from normal rabbits. The rise in biologic activity of 120-150% of base line was significantly greater than the rise in immunologic activity of114-117% ofbase line (P < 0.05) on 3 different days, suggesting the production of a molecule with greater specific activity rather than increased protein synthesis.