Characterization of calcium-dependent binding of endogenous factor VIII/von Willebrand factor to surface activated platelets

Activation of washed platelets in the presence of EDTA with either 1 U/ml of alpha-thrombin or 2 microM calcium ionophore (A23187) caused the release of one-third to one-half of the platelet factor VIII/von Willebrand factor (FVIII/vWF) into the supernatant. When calcium was present in excess, only 10% of the platelet FVIII/vWF was detected free in the supernatant, regardless of whether calcium was present before stimulation or added to the platelets after thrombin activation. Release of [14C]serotonin and beta-thromboglobulin were not affected by divalent cations indicating that reduced supernatant levels of FVIII/vWF in the presence of calcium were not due to differential release, but were probably due to a calcium-dependent association of released FVIII/vWF with the platelet surface. The presence or absence of intact glycoprotein Ib on the platelet surface made no significant difference to the observed FVIII/vWF partition. Platelets from a patient with Glanzmann's thrombasthenia, however, failed to show a calcium effect with respect to released FVIII/vWF. The combined results suggest that as well as the ristocetin-dependent, divalent cation-independent binding of FVIII/vWF to glycoprotein Ib, there is a divalent cation-dependent binding of FVIII/vWF to the activated platelet surface which is mediated via the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa complex.