Enhanced Adhesion of Colon Carcinoma Cells to Thrombin Stimulated Endothelial Cells

Treatment of cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (EC) with thrombin caused a significant increase in their adhesivity to three human colon carcinoma cell lines (CC). Thrombin effect was directed to EC and was both concentration and time dependent. Treatment of EC with antibodies to P-selectin or CC with antibodies to Lewis X and Lewis a sugar groups inhibited thrombin effect. This newly described thrombin activity might play, a role in tumor cell lodgement in target organs during metastatic spread.