Effect of Influenza Virus Proteins Modulate Hemostasis in vitro and in vivo

Abstract

We studied the effect of influenza virus proteins—hemagglutinin, neuraminidase, nucleoprotein, and membrane protein—on hemostasis in vitro and in vivo. The results demonstrated that envelope proteins hemagglutinin and neuraminidase enhanced the fibrinolytic and anticoagulant activities of blood plasma and the activity of human tissue plasminogen activator. The membrane protein proved to have the highest activity among the core proteins of influenza virus; in contrast to hemagglutinin and neuraminidase, it inhibited fibrinolysis, increased the coagulant activity of blood plasma, and decreased the activity of human tissue plasminogen activator. The combined action of hemagglutinin and neuraminidase increased the plasma fibrinolytic and anticoagulant activities to a greater extent than the individual action of each agent. The combined action of hemagglutinin and membrane protein also increased the plasma fibrinolytic and anticoagulant activities, although to a lesser extent than the action of hemagglutinin alone. These data indicate that viral proteins are physiologically active and can cause influenza-specific disturbances of hemostasis.