Energy substrate metabolism in fresh and stored human platelets.

The latent capacity of human platelets for oxidizing several important energy-yielding substrates has been revealed by hypoosmolaric incubation conditions. The data show that the human platelet has a considerable capacity to oxidize both glucose and long-chain fatty acids. Long-chain fatty acids appear to rank favorably with glucose as a potential energy substrate. In a number of mammalian tissues, (-)-carnitine serves to regulate the rate at which long-chain fatty acids are oxidized. Evidence was obtained which suggests that (-)-carnitine functions in a similar role in the platelet. After storage of human platelets at 4 degrees C for 24 hr, the oxidative capacity for glucose was reduced by approximately 25% and for long-chain fatty acids by almost 50%. Investigation of the component parts of the metabolic pathways indicated that a marked decrease in the capacity of the Krebs cycle could be responsible for the decrement in energy substrate oxidation.