Radioimmunoassay of platelet factor 4 and beta-thromboglobulin: development and application to studies of platelet release in relation to fibrinopeptide A generation.

Platelet and fibrinogen survival and turnover studies have shown that platelet activation and fibrin formation may occur to different degrees in different thrombotic disorders. More direct evidence of differential involvement of platelet activation and fibrin formation should be provided by specifically measuring the products of these reactions, i.e. released platelet proteins and fibrinopeptide A. Two platelet proteins, platelet factor 4 (PF4) and beta-thromboglobulin (betaTG), were isolated and characterized, and sensitive and specific radioimmunoassays were developed to measure them. These assays were employed, along with the radioimmunoassay for fibrinopeptide A (FPA), to study the release of PF4 and betaTG in relation to FPA cleavage. PF4 and betaTG were released by ADP and collagen with time course and concentration dependence similar to that of [14C]serotonin release. FPA was not cleaved from fibrinogen during ADP or collagen-induced platelet release. Thrombin caused release of PF4 and betaTG as well as cleavage of FPA. Cleavage of FPA occurred with concentrations of thrombin about 100 times less than did release of PF4 and betaTG, and release of [14C]serotinin required still higher thrombin concentrations. Release of [14C]serotonin and platelet proteins was similar as a function of time. Sodium citrate was found to inhibit platelet release induced by thrombin.