title: Is oxytocin present in platelets?
abstract: For arginine-vasopressin (AVP) it has been suggested that about 90% of the total amount present in peripheral blood is platelet-membrane bound. Oxytocin (OT) and AVP are nonapeptides which are similar in many respects. We investigated the possibility that OT might be found in platelet-rich plasma samples from patients undergoing ovarian super-stimulation for in-vitro fertilization purposes. These plasma samples were treated with acid repeated freezing/thawing and sonification in an attempt to solubilize or expose the possible bound OT. No differences between OT concentrations in platelet-rich or -poor plasma samples were found. We conclude that plasma OT is not bound or confined to platelets.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, University Hospital, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Helmerhorst
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: van den Boogaard
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Naaktgeboren
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Lequin
mesh_terms: D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000032:analysis*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000097:blood* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D010121:Oxytocin