Thrombin stimulated platelet accumulation on protein coated glass capillaries: role of adhesive platelet alpha-granule proteins.

The generation of trace amounts of thrombin at artificial surfaces in contact with blood is likely to be a contributing factor in thrombosis on biomaterials. Using an in vitro capillary perfusion system, platelet accumulation on glass surfaces, uncoated or precoated with purified bovine collagen or human plasma proteins, was determined in the presence or absence of preadsorbed purified human thrombin. Static adsorption for 15 min at 22 degrees C from solutions of thrombin 100 NIH units (33 micrograms)/ml gave surface concentrations in the range 0.019-0.101 micrograms/cm2. Protein coated capillaries, thrombin treated or untreated, were perfused for 2 min at 37 degrees C with suspensions of washed 111In-labeled human platelets in Tyrode's-albumin buffer containing 40% washed red blood cells, under conditions of controlled, non pulsatile laminar flow (50 s-1 or 2,000 s-1). Platelet accumulation was increased in the presence of surface adsorbed thrombin on uncoated and albumin or fibrinogen coated glass but little affected on fibronectin or collagen coated glass. On von Willebrand factor (vWF) coated glass, thrombin enhancement was observed only at high shear forces. In experiments using antibodies against human platelet alpha-granule proteins, thrombin stimulated platelet deposition in uncoated glass capillaries was inhibited at 2,000 s-1 by anti-vWF and to a lesser extent by anti-fibrinogen but not by anti-thrombospondin antibodies.