Low intracellular calcium concentration in the platelets after stimulation in patients with myeloproliferative disorders.

Intracellular calcium levels in the platelets of patients with myeloproliferative disorders (MPD) were measured by the Aequorin method. In the patients with MPD, the maximum intracellular calcium level [Ca2+]i was significantly lower and the time required to reach the peak calcium level was significantly longer than in normal controls after thrombin (0.5 U/ml) and collagen (2.5 micrograms/ml) stimulation. The rate of increase in intracellular calcium levels after thrombin (0.5 U/ml) stimulation in the presence of various concentrations of extracellular calcium was lower than in the normal controls, which suggests that the low level of intracellular [Ca2+]i after stimulation is caused mainly by a low Ca2+ influx. These results suggest the relationship between abnormalities of membrane glycoprotein and the impaired calcium influx of MPD platelets.