Flow cytometric analysis of material-induced platelet activation in a canine model: elevated microparticle levels and reduced platelet life span.

Assessment of material-induced platelet activation is important given that it is thought to be a major mechanism of biomaterials thrombogenicity. We monitored, by flow cytometry, platelet microparticle (MP) levels in the circulation during the connection of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel and polyethylene (PE) test segments (3.18 mm ID, 20 and 50 cm L) to our chronically shunted beagle dogs. We report that circulating microparticle levels were dependent on test segment material, length, and time. The connection of 50-cm lengths of PVA hydrogel test segments led to MP levels two to three times greater than background at 48 h, while the connection of polyethylene test segments did not lead to elevated microparticle levels. MP levels were near background 24 h after removal of the PVA test segment. To determine platelet life span during the connection of test segments, platelets were labeled in vivo with biotin and their disappearance monitored flow cytometrically. While platelet life span for shunted dogs (no test segment) was 4.7 +/- 0.2 days, the connection of PVA hydrogel test segments led to a platelet life span of < 2 days.