Apyrase, ascorbic acid and aprotinin ameliorate the storage lesion in pelleted platelet preparations.

To evaluate the effect of apyrase, ascorbic acid and aprotinin (AAA) in preventing platelet activation during storage, 12 sets of platelet concentrates (PCs), were treated with AAA and evaluated at days 1, 3, and 5 utilizing platelet functional and morphological assays. Platelets treated with AAA demonstrated significantly enhanced response to ADP-induced platelet aggregation, higher morphology scores, and evaluated ATP levels compared to control samples after 5 days of storage. Similarly, platelet specimens treated with AAA had significantly reduced PF4 secretion and P-selectin expression compared to controls. Finally, Western blots of aggregated platelets at day 5 demonstrated that AAA-treated PCs continue to express the platelet membrane GPIb whereas specimens from control PCs do not. These results show that PCs treated with AAA have reduced platelet activation and enhanced functional platelet activity.

Growth and morphological transformations of Helicobacter pylori in broth media.

Helicobacter pylori, a cause of peptic ulcer disease and certain types of gastric cancers, has usually been cultured on diverse agar-based media, resulting in a requirement for 2 to 4 days of growth at 37 degrees C. We have developed a novel broth medium consisting of a base medium supplemented with 2% newborn calf serum, Mg2+, Cu2+, Fe2+, Zn2+, Mn2+, and 1 mg of lysed human erythrocytes per ml. This medium supports rapid growth of H. pylori, with a doubling time of about 50 min. Optimal growth was obtained in a pH range higher than that supporting most other gram-negative bacteria (at pH 8.5). H. pylori cultured in this supplemented broth retains the spiral morphology seen in both histological sections and cultures from agar-based media and also retains a high urease activity. After 18 h in this broth, H. pylori transforms to a coccal form with a complete loss of urease activity. Previously these cocci have been reported to be senescent, since they could not be subcultured on agar medium. Our experiments suggest that some of the cocci can revert back to the spiral morphology with full recovery of urease activity when subcultured in fresh microaerobic broth medium.

Separated flows in artificial organs. A cause of early thrombogenesis?

Separated flow is unavoidable in artificial blood-wetted devices. Surfaces bound by separated flows cause abnormal protein adsorption, then platelet adhesion and activation, and eventually thrombogenesis and embolization. A prolonged abnormal adsorption pattern is expected, especially in separated flows, as blood first displaces a wetting liquid during start-up of a device. The authors obtained patterns of immunoglobulin G (IgG), fibrinogen, and high molecular weight kininogen (HMK) adsorption in and near a separated flow. The flow was induced in flowing saline, replaced at time zero by plasma. The separated flow was induced behind a 4 mm bar introduced into a steady shear flow (Re = 26.4) in an apparatus designed so that the surface behind the bar was a standard glass microscope slide. The staining technique revealed the distribution of each protein of interest over the surface of the slide, and was applied to slides residing in the flow for 1, 5, 10, 30, and 60 min after the introduction of plasma (final dilution, 3.5% and 8.5%). Results show the expected, rapid disappearance of fibrinogen from surfaces near (but not in) the separated region, and prolonged appearance and even more prolonged disappearance of fibrinogen from the surface bounding the separated region. Slides removed from the apparatus, when exposed to a platelet suspension, showed that platelets adhered where fibrinogen was present on the surface.

Buffy coat platelets stored in apyrase, aprotinin, and ascorbic acid in a suspended bag: combined strategies for reducing platelet activation during storage.

BACKGROUND: Platelet activation is an important factor impeding the clinical effectiveness of platelet transfusions. In this study, platelet concentrates (PCs) were prepared by a novel suspended-bag buffy coat technique that was followed by the addition of a mixture of platelet activation inhibitors to the storage bag. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In vitro platelet function was evaluated in PCs prepared by the suspended-bag buffy coat technique and stored at 22 degrees C for 5 days in the presence of (n = 12) or absence (n = 12) of apyrase, ascorbic acid, and aprotinin (AAA). RESULTS: Platelets from AAA-incubated PCs demonstrated mean ATP levels 17 percent (p < 0.004), 13 percent (p < 0.02), and 22 percent (p < 0.003) higher than those measured in parallel control PCs on Days 1, 3, and 5, respectively. Similarly, on Days 3 and 5 of storage, respectively, 45-percent (p < 0.001) and 50-percent (p < 0.001) greater ADP-induced maximum aggregation was observed in AAA-incubated PCs than was seen in control preparations. AAA-incubated PCs demonstrated alpha-granule membrane protein-140 expression 92 percent (p < 0.01), 133 percent (p < 0.003), and 104 percent (p < 0.001) below that in control PCs on Days 1, 3, and 5, respectively. At similar intervals, a significant increase in recovery from hypotonic shock also was observed in AAA-incubated PCs. Further, Day 5 AAA-PCs demonstrated significantly higher morphology scores and O2 consumption than did control preparations. CONCLUSION: Buffy coat platelets prepared in suspended bags and stored in the presence of AAA demonstrate significantly reduced activation and enhanced functional and metabolic activity.

Alterations in platelet function in patients receiving interleukin-6 as cytokine therapy.

Platelet function in 12 cancer patients was studied sequentially over 97 hr of interleukin-6 (IL-6) daily bolus or continuous infusion (C.I.) therapy. During this period, enhanced ex vivo agonist-induced platelet maximum aggregation (MA) was paralleled by an increase in plasma levels of TXB2 and PF4 as measured by RIA and ELISA, respectively. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) specimens from bolus IL-6-treated patients demonstrated an increased incorporation of actin-binding protein and myosin in the cytoskeletal core (triton insoluble residue) as shown by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) in comparison to control specimens. Similarly, the integrin glycoprotein IIIa (GPIIIa) was also observed to be retained into the cytoskeleton by immunoblot. A significant decrease in hypotonic shock response (HSR) was observed over 87 hr of treatment in IL-6 C.I. patients, whereas in IL-6 bolus patients, a significant increase in HSR occurred immediately after the bolus, which was followed by a significant decrease in HSR after 23 hr. These results suggest that IL-6 alters platelet function in vivo.

Characterization of tumor-induced platelet aggregation: the role of immunorelated GPIb and GPIIb/IIIa expression by MCF-7 breast cancer cells.

Tumor cell induced platelet aggregation is thought to be an early step in the metastatic process. Here we show that platelet aggregation induced by MCF-7 cells is mediated, in part, through an ADP-dependent mechanism based on inhibition of aggregation by pretreatment of the tumor cells with apyrase and the identification of ADP in tumor cell-free supernatants by HPLC. By applying immunocytochemical and flow cytometric techniques, we demonstrate that platelet immunorelated glycoproteins, GPIb, GPIIb/IIIa, GPIb/IX, and the integrin alpha v subunit are expressed on the surface of MCF-7 cells. The expression of an immunorelated GPIb was further confirmed by immunoblot and autoradiography of 125I-labelled MCF-7 cells. MCF-7 cell immunoblot preparations demonstrated one major protein reactive to an anti-GPIb alpha MoAb under nonreduced conditions with a molecular weight of 200 kD and two major proteins reactive with the anti-GPIb alpha MoAb under reduced conditions with molecular weights of 92 kD and 38 kD. Platelet aggregation is inhibited by preincubating the MCF-7 cells with antibodies to GPIb and GPIIb/IIIa. These findings document expression of adhesive glycoproteins by MCF-7 cancer cells and suggest that these receptors, together with ADP, play a role in tumor induced platelet aggregation.

Morphologic and ultrastructural evidence of interleukin-6 induced platelet activation.

The in vitro effect of IL-6 on platelet activation was investigated. When human platelets were incubated with high (1,000 ng/ml) or low (1 ng/ml) dose IL-6, expression of GMP-140 was enhanced by 42% (N = 6; P < 0.009) and 46% (N = 6; P < 0.061) in 1 hr low and high dose IL-6-platelet incubations, respectively, as assessed by flow cytometry. In platelet specimens incubated with high dose IL-6 for 3 hr, a 70% (N = 6; P < 0.009) increase in GMP-140 expression over control was observed. Parallel high dose IL-6 incubations subjected to scanning electron microscopic studies revealed a 3.4-fold increase (N = 6; P < 0.001) in spheroid morphologic platelet forms in 1 hr incubations in comparison to control platelet preparations, whereas in 3 hr IL-6-platelet incubations, a 96% increase in dendritic platelet forms was observed (N = 6; P < 0.001). Significant increases in platelet ATP levels were observed in both 1 min and 1 hr high dose and low dose IL-6 platelet incubations. In 3 hr high dose-IL-6 platelet incubations, a significant 18% (N = 8; P < 0.001) decrease in platelet ATP was parallelled by a significant 40% increase (N = 8; P < 0.014) in plasma ATP in the same specimens. This increased plasma ATP was highly correlated with a reduction in platelet ATP when analyzed by bivariate regression analysis. Lastly, transmission electron microscopic analysis demonstrated a significant reduction in dense granule number and ratio of dense granule surface area/cell surface area in 3 hr high dose IL-6 incubations. These findings suggests that IL-6 activates platelets in vitro.

A novel technique for preparing improved buffy coat platelet concentrates.

We evaluated in vitro platelet function of platelet concentrates stored at 22 C for 5 days prepared either by the conventional pelleting procedure or platelet concentrates prepared from buffy coats by utilizing a novel bucket designed to support a suspended bag. For platelet concentrates from buffy coat, whole blood was centrifuged at 3,000 x g for 13 min, with all but 30cc of the cell poor plasma transferred to a satellite bag, followed by a second centrifugation at 170 x g for 5 min utilizing our novel centrifugation device. For pelleted platelets, whole blood was centrifuged at 2,000 x g for 3 min, platelet rich plasma removed, centrifuged, and the pellet resuspended in plasma. Leukocyte contamination in buffy coat platelet concentrates was reduced by 95% (p < 0.001) in comparison to pelleted platelets. Further, platelets from buffy coat platelet concentrates demonstrated significantly enhanced ADP-induced aggregation, increased recovery from hypotonic shock, higher morphology scores, and reduced GMP-140 expression in comparison to pelleted preparations. No differences in O2 consumption, CO2 production, pH and total ATP were observed between the two types of preparations at day 5 of storage. Our results indicate that platelet concentrates from buffy coat, prepared by a suspended storage bag centrifugation technique, are superior with respect to in vitro platelet function when compared to pelleted platelets.

Platelet activation induced by interleukin-6: evidence for a mechanism involving arachidonic acid metabolism.

The effect of IL-6 on in vitro platelet function was investigated. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) incubated with IL-6 showed a dose dependent enhancement of agonist induced maximum aggregation (AIMA) and secretion of thromboxane B2 (TXB2) as measured by RIA, in short term incubations. Dazoxiben (0.2 to 160 microM) pretreated PRP incubated with IL-6 and aggregated with ionophore A23187, showed a dose dependent inhibition of TXB2 secretion concomitant with a dose dependent abrogation of IL-6's enhancement of AIMA. A similar abrogation of AIMA was observed when these experiments were repeated using indomethacin. Further, PRP incubated with IL-6 showed a dose dependent increase in TXB2 and BTG secretion as measured by RIA and an increased incorporation of actin binding protein, talin, and myosin into the cytoskeletal core (triton insoluble residue) as shown by SDS-PAGE. The integrin glycoprotein IIIa (GPIIIa) was also observed to be retained into the cytoskeleton by immunoblot. These results suggest that IL-6 activates platelets in vitro and enhances AIMA via a mechanism involving arachidonic acid metabolism.

Effects of interleukin-2 administration on platelet function in cancer patients.

Platelet function in 16 patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma and melanoma was studied sequentially over the first 96 hr of treatment with moderate and high-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2). During the first 96 hr of therapy, an increased ex vivo platelet maximal aggregation (MA) response to ADP, epinephrine, and arachidonic acid was paralleled by a decrease in the peripheral platelet count. Plasma specimens from patients receiving the moderate dose schedule showed a significant IL-2 induced secretory response of the platelet alpha-granule components beta-thromboglobulin (BTG) and platelet factor 4 (PF4) and the eicosanoid thromboxane B2 (TBX2) as measured by RIA. The increase in TXB2 was highly correlated with MA when analyzed by bivariate regression analysis, whereas the addition of PF4 to TXB2 in a multiple regression analysis further increased their correlation to MA. The observed decrease in peripheral platelet count correlated significantly with MA and PF4 secretion. High-dose IL-2-treated patients showed a statistically significant increase in the percentage of large platelets exceeding 12 fl in diameter and platelet responsiveness to hypotonic shock. These observations suggest that IL-2 therapy results in a reduced peripheral platelet pool, with an increased proportion of the remaining pool of platelets larger, more viable, and activated.

The red cell membrane contains calmodulin-regulated crosslinking and proteolytic activity.

Several different forms of transglutaminase (TGase) have been documented and these forms may coexist in the same cell. Cytosolic erythrocyte transglutaminases active at millimolar calcium concentrations have been well described. This report discusses membrane-associated erythrocyte TGase activity which can crosslink substrates at micromolar calcium concentrations in the presence of calmodulin (CaM). This TGase activity coisolates with a 1 M NaCl extraction of cytoskeletal components and is purified by CaM affinity chromatography. The EGTA eluate from the affinity chromatography displays TGase activity at ten times that of the initial hemolysate. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of this eluate demonstrates two bands of 68,000 and 72,000 daltons. TGase crosslinking of fibronectin, fibrinogen, and membrane cytoskeletal substrates was associated with substrate degradation and could be inhibited competitively by putrescine. Similarities of this TGase to those of the platelet and smooth muscle membrane-associated TGases are explored. CaM-calcium regulated, membrane-associated erythrocyte TGases may play a role in membrane-cytoskeletal interactions.

Assembly and GPIIIa content of cytoskeletal core in platelets agglutinated with bovine von Willebrand factor.

The association between occupancy of the von Willebrand factor (vWf) receptor glycoprotein (GP) Ib, agglutination, and the assembly and composition of the cytoskeletal core was studied in 125I-surface-labeled aspirin-treated washed platelets. Binding of ligands to GPIIb-IIIa and platelet aggregation were abolished by addition of EDTA. Platelet agglutination induced by bovine vWf generated a complete cytoskeletal core (Triton-insoluble residue), shown by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) to be composed of actin-binding protein (ABP) (260 Kd), 235-Kd protein, myosin heavy chain (200 Kd), alpha-actinin (100 Kd), and actin (43 Kd). In addition, autoradiography of the gels showed a 125I 105-Kd GP, identified by immunoblot as GPIIIa, as well as GPIb, GPIIb, and another band at 87 Kd, probably GPIV. Neither cytoskeletal assembly nor GPIIa incorporation was altered if calpain was inhibited with leupeptin. Platelet suspensions exposed to bovine vWf without stirring (ie, nonagglutinated) or platelets in which agglutination was inhibited with ADP showed smaller cytoskeletons with little ABP, 235 Kd protein, and alpha-actinin. Autoradiographs showed mainly GPIb. Cytochalasin D (CD) and monobromobimane (MB) enhanced agglutination and prevented the inhibitory action of ADP on bovine vWf-induced platelet agglutination. CD markedly inhibited the assembly of the cytoskeletal core as well as GPIIIa retention, whereas MB resulted in a large Triton-insoluble residue which contained GPIIIa. Thus, development of a platelet cytoskeletal core is apparently not required for agglutination, but when a cytoskeletal core is assembled in agglutinated platelets, GPIIIa is retained.

Inhibition of von Willebrand factor-induced platelet agglutination by ADP does not result from reduced binding of total von Willebrand factor or its larger multimers.

Earlier experiments showed that platelet agglutination induced by von Willebrand factor (vWf) plus ristocetin was greatly diminished if adenosine diphosphate (ADP) was added first in the presence of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (to prevent aggregation). Platelets treated with ADP and then fixed also agglutinated less than control fixed platelets. The studies reported here demonstrate that ADP did not decrease ristocetin-induced binding of vWf whether binding was measured on suspended platelets with iodine 125-labeled vWf or on suspended or agglutinated platelets with the use of any of three 125I-labeled monoclonal antibodies that bind to vWf but that do not interfere with ristocetin-induced agglutination. Equal amounts of vWf were eluted from ristocetin/vWf-treated platelets when they were resuspended without ristocetin, whether or not the platelets had been exposed to ADP, and the vWf recovered in either case was composed only of large multimers. No evidence for an agglutination site other than glycoprotein Ib could be demonstrated by measuring agglutination of a mixture of platelets fixed after inhibition with antibody against glycoprotein Ib and platelets fixed after inhibition with ADP. We conclude that inhibition of agglutination by ADP must involve the way in which vWf is bound, because it does not result from a decreased amount or from a difference in multimer size of bound vWf.

Quantitation of oncogene products by computer-assisted image analysis and flow cytometry.

The use of antibodies permits the study of oncogene product expression in cells and tissues. However, quantitation of the levels of expression in immunohistochemical preparations is beset by difficulties, and the available scoring system provide semiquantitative data at best. Here we describe the use of computer-assisted image analysis for determination of oncoprotein levels in a model system and compare the results with those generated by flow cytometric analysis. The oncogene products measured are located in the nucleus (c-myc p62 and c-fos p55), the inner surface of the membrane (c-ras p21), and both sides of the membrane (c-erbB-2 p185). In each instance, both analytic modalities yielded concordant results. Our data indicate that computer-assisted image analysis is a useful tool for quantitating cell components in immunohistochemical preparations.

Effect of the thiol group inhibitor monobromobimane and other inhibitors on the composition of the platelet cytoskeletal core and its association with glycoprotein IIIa.

SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to study the effects of the thiol inhibitor monobromobimane (MB), EDTA, and prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) on the formation and composition of the platelet cytoskeletal core (Triton-insoluble residue) and its association with glycoprotein (GP) IIIa. Stimulation or aggregation of platelets in response to ADP or thrombin increased the amount of Triton-insoluble myosin. Aggregation resulted in incorporation of [125I]GP IIIa and a new band at about 210 kDa into the cytoskeletal core. EDTA and PGE1 caused little disaggregation of platelets that were aggregated in PRP with ADP and that had secreted the contents of their granules. In contrast to EDTA, PGE1 decreased the amount of Triton-insoluble residue and its association with GP IIIa. MB added after ADP-induced aggregation caused an increase in the amount of cytoskeletal core despite marked disaggregation and a substantial decrease in core-associated GP IIIa. With aspirin-treated platelets that had not secreted, EDTA, PGE1, and MB all caused disaggregation and loss of cytoskeletal GP IIIa. MB diminished, but did not reverse, thrombin-induced aggregation of washed platelets and arrested GP IIIa incorporation into the cytoskeletal core. Concanavalin A (Con A) cross-links glycoproteins on a single platelet and induces incorporation of GP IIIa into the Triton-insoluble residue in the absence of platelet aggregation. This induction was not inhibited by MB, although this reagent, as well as aspirin, inhibited Con A-induced secretion. Since GP IIIa incorporation caused by ADP-induced aggregation differs from that caused by Con A in its susceptibility to MB, it seems unlikely that thiol groups are directly involved in the association of GP IIIa with the cytoskeletal core.

Catalytic properties of a calmodulin-regulated transglutaminase from human platelet and chicken gizzard.

The kinetic parameters and some enzymatic characteristics of human platelet and chicken gizzard transglutaminases were determined. Activity of the transglutaminases was regulated by calmodulin. These enzymes co-isolated with alpha-actinin and were dissociated from alpha-actinin by gel filtration and absorption onto a calmodulin affinity column. Silver-stained polyacrylamide gels showed that the protein peak eluted by EGTA from this column contained polypeptides of Mr approximately 58,000 and 63,000. The transglutaminases required Ca2+ for incorporation of monodansylcadaverine into casein and actin substrates. Activity was enhanced 3-fold by calmodulin with a biphasic effect, showing stimulation at 10-200 nM and inhibition at concentrations higher than 300 nM. In the presence of 200 nM calmodulin, half-maximal transglutaminase stimulation was obtained with 2.5 microM free [Ca2+]. Chlorpromazine inhibited calmodulin enhancement of the transglutaminases. Activity of the transglutaminases was independent of proteolytic activation, since inhibitors for Ca2+-dependent proteases failed to inhibit filamin cross-linking. For comparison, factor XIIa, a plasma and platelet transglutaminase, required both Ca2+ and thrombin for activation and was insensitive to calmodulin. The cross-linking pattern of fibrin, fibrin monomers, and fibrinogen by the calmodulin-regulated transglutaminases showed, by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, disappearance of fibrinogen alpha-chains with no decrease of beta- and gamma-chains or formation of gamma-gamma dimers. By autoradiography, cross-linked products of 125I-fibrinogen revealed heavily labeled high molecular weight polymers and polypeptides of Mr 98,000, 116,000, and 148,000; the latter appeared to be a transient species. However, when fibrin, fibrin monomers, and fibrinogen were used as factor XIIIa substrates, gamma-gamma dimers and alpha-polymers were formed. Formation of gamma-gamma dimers was slower with fibrinogen than with fibrin. Iodoacetamide blocked activity of factor XIIIa but not of the calmodulin-regulated transglutaminases.

Platelet cytoskeleton alpha-actinin in normal and thrombasthenic platelets: distribution and immunologic characterization.

The subcellular localization of alpha-actinin (Mr 100,000) in human skeletal muscle is restricted to the Z line, in which it is believed to anchor actin filaments. Recently, this protein was identified in normal and thrombasthenic human platelets by its antigenic cross-reaction with antibodies to chicken gizzard alpha-actinin. In our study, the biochemical interaction between purified platelet alpha-actinin and striated muscle F-actin was examined by electron microscopy of negatively stained preparations. Like its muscle counterpart, platelet alpha-actinin promotes the cross-linking and bundling of actin filaments. Antibodies prepared to human platelet alpha-actinin cross-reacted with chicken gizzard alpha-actinin as shown by immunoelectrophoresis and the western blotting technique. Immunoblots prepared with normal and thrombasthenic platelets with antibodies to human platelet alpha-actinin revealed that this protein is susceptible to proteolysis. Extracts of freshly drawn platelets showed a protein band of 100 K. When the platelet extracts were incubated at 37 degrees C for various times, the immunoblots showed protein bands of 100 and 80 K. The proportion of the 80 K protein band increased with incubation time. This proteolysis can be prevented by chelating agents such as EDTA or the protease inhibitor leupeptin. Indirect immunofluorescent studies of human skin fibroblasts with antibodies to chicken gizzard actin and human skeletal muscle, chicken gizzard, and platelet alpha-actinin revealed the staining pattern characteristic of each protein. The distribution of alpha-actinin in normal and thrombasthenic platelets was assessed by ferritin-labeled immunoelectron microscopy. Ferritin particles were found in the cytoplasm immediately below the membrane and in some granules. There was no labeling associated with the mitochondria.

Platelet cytoskeleton: immunofluorescence studies on thrombin-activated platelets.

Cytoskeletal proteins were isolated from chicken gizzard smooth muscle and from platelets and antibodies prepared against them. It was shown by indirect immunofluorescence technique that actin, alpha-actinin, and vinculin are not present on the surface of platelets. Physiologic concentrations of thrombin (0.04 to 0.5 U/ml) that induce platelet aggregation and release in the presence of calcium from freshly isolated platelets do not induce platelet changes resulting in the availability of the cytoskeleton to antibodies. Because the F(ab')2 fragments of anti-cytoskeletal proteins IgG do not inhibit thrombin-induced aggregation of platelets, the direct role of these proteins in thrombin-induced platelet aggregation, as with ADP and collagen, may be rejected. However, when freshly isolated platelets are treated with thrombin (1 U/ml), antibodies to actin, alpha-actinin, and vinculin stained the platelets; therefore, this demonstrates that thrombin at this high and probably nonphysiologic concentration induces a reorganization of the membrane components with the subsequent exposure of the proteins of the cytoskeleton. We demonstrate interaction between isolated actin and alpha-actinin but not vinculin with fibronectin. After stimulation of platelets by thrombin, certain cytoskeletal proteins may interact with subendothelial fibronectin and thereby promote and consolidate platelet adhesion.

Platelet cytoskeleton: immunofluorescence studies on ADP and collagen-activated platelets.

Immunofluorescence studies reveal that platelet changes induced by adenosine diphosphate and collagen do not include the reorganization of the cytoskeleton in such a way as to expose actin, alpha-actinin, or vinculin. However, when such platelets were made permeable by saponin, these cytoskeletal proteins were present. In studies with collagen, fluorescence was observed along the fibers at areas of platelet adhesion and where no platelets were seen by phase microscopy. No fluorescence was observed with collagen treated with platelet-poor plasma. Scanning electron microscopy of collagen samples treated with platelet-rich plasma revealed a fibrillar meshwork with single platelets, platelet aggregates, and nodular structures that were smaller in size than individual platelets. These nodular structures may represent remnants of platelets still attached to the collagen after platelet detachment has occurred. These tenacious collagen-platelet membrane-binding sites have associated with them cytoplasmic alpha-actinin and vinculin, proteins that have been proposed by others to anchor actin filaments to the plasma membrane.

Erythrocyte actin and spectrin. Interactions with muscle contractile and regulatory proteins.

Actin and spectrin were isolated from washed red blood cell membranes. Spectrin bound and polymerized erythrocyte actin in the absence of potassium. Spectrin coated into polystyrene latex particles bound 8--9 mol of erythrocyte actin per mol of spectrin when actin was in its depolymerized state. Spectrin enhanced the interaction of erythrocyte actin with muscle myosin as manifested by changes in Mg2+-ATPase activity. A similar enhancement also was observed with muscle alpha-actinin while muscle tropomyosin abolished these effects. The data suggest that spectrin may play the role of polymerizing factor as well as the anchoring site for erythrocyte actin just as alpha-actinin is the anchoring site for actin filaments in muscle and other non-muscle cells.