Ethanol inhibition of thrombus formation on collagen-coated glass.
Epi-fluorescent video microscopy was used to evaluate the effect of ethanol on platelet mural thrombus formation. Whole blood, treated with ethanol, was perfused over collagen coated glass in a parallel-plate flow chamber at a shear rate of 1,000/s. Digital image processing and photodiode measurements were used to analyze the dynamics of thrombus growth on this surface. Ethanol concentrations as low as 0.02% v/v were found to inhibit 45 +/- 23% (+/- S.D.) of normal platelet accumulation on the slide while 0.2% v/v ethanol effected an 82 +/- 15% inhibition of mural thrombus formation. While platelet adhesion to the collagen surface appeared unaffected by ethanol concentrations up to 0.1% v/v, 0.2% v/v ethanol had an effect on adhesion as well as aggregation. These results imply that low ethanol concentrations inhibit the formation of mural thrombi in a model of a damaged blood vessel at physiological shear rates. This inhibition would not be detected in systems which measure bulk aggregation, e. g. in aggregometric determinations.
Department of Chemical Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77251.
C K
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Owens
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LV
McIntire
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Lasslo
D003094:Collagen; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005898:Glass; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D010973:Platelet Adhesiveness / Q000187:drug effects; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D010976:Platelet Count / Q000187:drug effects; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014741:Video Recording
D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D000431:Ethanol; D003094:Collagen