Thrombin increases expression of fibronectin antigen on the platelet surface.

Fibronectins (fn) are adhesive glycoproteins which bind to collagen and to fibrin and appear to be important in cellular adhesion to other cells or surfaces. Fn-related antigen is present in human platelets, suggesting a possible role for fn in the adhesive properties of platelets. We have studied the localization of fn in resting and thrombin-stimulated platelets by immunofluorescence and quantitative binding of radiolabeled antibody. In resting fixed platelets, variable light surface staining for fn was observed. When these cells were made permeable to antibody with detergent, staining for fn was markedly enhanced and was present in a punctate distribution, suggesting intracellular localization. Stimulation with thrombin, which is associated with increased platelet adhesiveness, resulted in increased staining for fn antigen on intact platelets. These stimulated cells did not leak 51Cr nor did they stain for F-actin, thus documenting that the increased fn staining was not due to loss of plasma membrane integrity. The thrombin-induced increase in accessible platelet fn antigen was confirmed by quantitative antibody binding studies in which thrombin-stimulated platelets specifically bound 15 times as much radiolabeled F(ab')2 anti-fn as did resting cells. Thus, thrombin stimulation results in increased expression of fn antigen on the platelet surface. Here it may participate in interactions with fibrin, connective tissue, or other cells.