Interaction of platelet plasma membranes with thrombin-activated platelets

This study described the binding of platelet plasma membranes to either control or thrombin-activated platelets. Glycoproteins in plasma membranes isolated from human platelets were labeled by oxidation with periodate followed by reduction with [3H]NaBH4. Labeled membranes were incubated with either control or thrombin-activated platelets. The amount of membranes bound was measured by separating platelets with bound membranes from solution by rapid centrifugation through 27% sucrose and determining the amount of radioactivity associated with platelets. Five- to sevenfold more membranes bound to thrombin- activated platelets than to control platelets. This enhanced binding of labeled membranes was completely inhibited by an excess of unlabeled platelet membranes. Human erythrocyte membranes had little affinity for either washed or thrombin-activated platelets and therefore did not compete for platelet-membrane binding. Binding of platelet membranes to thrombin-treated platelets was inhibited by prior incubation of the platelets with PGI2 suggesting that the enhanced binding of membranes was to activated platelets. This study demonstrates that the purified platelet membranes have functional sites that can mediate membrane binding to platelets and that quantitation of membrane binding appears to reflect the increased aggregation capability of activated platelets.