Platelet antiplasmin: its extrusion during the release reaction, subcellular localization, characterization, and relationship to antiheparin in pig platelets.

Antiplasmin activity was shown to be released from washed pig platelets by thrombin following a time course similar to that of 3H-serotonin. Antiheparin activity (platelet factor 4) appeared to be released by thrombin at a slower rate than 3H-serotonin or antiplasmin activity. Subcellular fractionation of pig platelets showed that the storage site for antiplasmin is probably the dense (amine storage) granules. Antiheparin was distributed among all of the subcellular particulate fractions except the fraction rich in dense granules. Material released from washed pig platelets and concentrated by ZnSO4 precipitation (crude antiheparin) was found to be rich in antiplasmin activity. Gel filtration on Sephadex G-150, DEAE cellulose column chromatography, and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that pig platelet antiplasmin is a low molecular weight (approximately 30,000 d) material of alpha1-globulin electrophoretic mobility. It was found to be heat labile and also inhibitory to the caseinolytic activity of trypsin but had no effect on the action of thrombin on fibrinogen. These data indicate that platelet antiplasmin is distinct from platelet antiheparin.