Requirement of a plasma fraction for the loss of large von Willebrand factor multimers induced by high wall shear rate.

The perfusion of serum, citrated whole blood and citrated plasma, through a simple tube system resulted in a significant loss of large von Willebrand factor (vWf) multimers, without decrease in antigen levels. Maximum loss of large multimers was observed at a shear rate of 15,000 s-1 for 15 min. Heparin, aprotinin, soybean trypsin inhibitor, phenylmethylsulphonylfluoride, N-ethylmaleimide, leupeptin or calpain inhibitor peptide could not prevent the loss of large vWf multimers in citrated plasma. The addition of EDTA calcium salt partially prevented it, and it was totally prevented by EDTA without calcium. Perfusion of purified vWf did not induce the loss of large multimers, but this did happen after the addition of either whole serum or a plasma fraction. The activity of this plasma fraction disappeared at pH < 6.8. Besides, we have found that the binding to subendothelium of purified vWf diluted in dialyzed serum was lower at pH 7.2 than at pH 6.0. Chromatographic studies demonstrated that the loss of large vWf multimers, induced by high shear rates, involves a plasma substance(s) of molecular weight larger than 200 kD; calpain and granulocyte or cysteine proteases do not seem to be this plasma substance(s).

Activation of human platelets by immune complexes prepared with cationized human IgG.

The present study shows that the ability of soluble immune complexes (IC), prepared with human IgG and rabbit IgG antibodies against human IgG, to trigger platelet activation was markedly higher for IC prepared with cationized human IgG (catIC) compared with those prepared with untreated human IgG (cIC). CatIC induced platelet aggregation and adenosine triphosphate release in washed platelets (WP), gel-filtered platelets (GFP), or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) at physiologic concentrations of platelets (3 x 10(8)/mL) and at low concentrations of catIC (1 to 30 micrograms/mL). On the contrary, under similar experimental conditions, cIC did not induce aggregation in PRP, WP, or GFP. Low aggregation responses were only observed using high concentrations of both WP (9 x 10(8)/mL) and cIC (500 micrograms/mL). Interestingly, catIC were also able to induce platelet activation under nonaggregating conditions, as evidenced by P-selectin expression. Cationized human IgG alone did not induce platelet aggregation in PRP but triggered either WP or GFP aggregation. However, the concentration needed to induce these responses, was about eightfold higher than those required for catIC. The responses induced either by catIC or cationized human IgG were completely inhibited by treatment with heparin, dextran sulphate, EDTA, prostaglandin E1, or IV3, a monoclonal antibody against the receptor II for the Fc portion of IgG (Fc gamma RII). The data presented in this study suggest that IgG charge constitutes a critical property that conditions the ability of IC to trigger platelet activation.

A simple enzyme-immunoassay test for von Willebrand factor binding in human arterial subendothelium.

In order to determine the binding of vWF, subendothelium from everted human umbilical arteries was perfused with dialysed serum containing different concentrations of purified vWF using an annular perfusion chamber at a wall shear rate of 1100 sec-1 for 30 min. After perfusion, control (not perfused) and perfused vessel segments were washed and incubated with a diluted rabbit antibody against human vWF. Then the nonbound anti-vWF from both samples were used to determine indirectly vWF by EIA. Although in our experiments normal vWF serum concentrations were not enough to exert vWF binding, a substantial binding could be attained with vWF levels around 2.5 U/ml. To estimate the pre-existing subendothelial vWF amount, three different experiments were developed: a) diluted IgG from a nonimmunized rabbit, b) a diluted rabbit antibody to human vWF, c) PBS-BSA. After washing, vessel segments were incubated with rabbit antibody to human vWF. After incubation, the nonbound anti-vWF was used to determine indirectly vWF by EIA. The results obtained showed that the amount of pre-existing vWF was approximately 1.1x10(-3) U vWF/cm2 subendothelium.

Reacción de liberación en tromboastenia de Glanzmann / Release reaction in Glanzmann's thrombasthenia

Se estudiaron siete pacientes con tromboastenia de Glanzmann. Se realizó agregación plaquetaria con reacción de liberación en un agregómetro Lumi. No se observó agregación con ADP, adrenalina o colágeno. El ácido araquidónico indujo una agregación de sólo 14,9%. Con ristocetina y con factor VIII bovino la aglutinación fue marcadamente disminuida. La liberación de ATP estuvo ausente con todos los agentes agregantes excepto con ácido araquidónico que provocó una liberación normal. Se realizó curva dosis respuesta con análogo de PGH2. Con dosis de 1 micronM a 100 micronM sólo se obtuvo una mínima agregación mientras que la liberación de ATP fue normal. Los resultados confirmarían la independencia de los mecanismos de agregación y liberación. La liberación de ATP inducida por ácido araquidónico o análogo de endoperóxido no parece requerir la exposición y fijación del fibrinógeno a su receptor