INHIBITION OF PLATELET INTEGRIN GPIIbIIIa PROLONGS SURVIVAL OF DISCORDANT CARDIAC XENOGRAFTS1,2

The integrin GPIIbIIIa is known to be crucial to the formation of platelet aggregates and potentiates adhesion to subendothelial matrices via fibrin(ogen), von Willebrand factor, and vitronectin. Given the demonstration by us and others of widespread platelet aggregation during xenograft rejection, we hypothesized that platelet thrombi might contribute to graft dysfunction during development of hyperacute rejection (HAR), as well as during what...