Variable protection of β3-integrin-deficient mice from thrombosis initiated by different mechanisms

Abstract

Platelet integrin αIIbβ3 (GPIIb/IIIa) plays a central role in the initiation of arterial thrombosis, but its contribution to disseminated microvascular thrombosis is less well defined. Therefore, wild-type mice (β3+/+), β3-integrin-deficient mice (β3-/-), and wild-type mice treated with a hamster monoclonal antibody (1B5) that blocks murine αIIbβ3 function were tested in models of large-vessel and microvascular thrombosis. In the large-vessel model, ferric chloride was used to injure the carotid artery, and the time to thrombosis was measured. In β3+/+ mice, the median time to occlusion was 6.7 minutes, whereas occlusion did not occur in any of the β3-/- mice tested (P