Fresh, liquid-preserved, and cryopreserved platelets: adhesive surface receptors and membrane procoagulant activity.
BACKGROUND
A study in humans showed that the transfusion of previously frozen human platelets after cardiopulmonary bypass, despite decreased survival, resulted in better hemostatic function than that of liquid-preserved platelets stored at 22 degrees C for 3 to 4 days.


METHODS
In this study, fresh, 3- to 4-day-old liquid-preserved, and cryopreserved human platelets were studied by the use of monoclonal antibodies directed against p-selectin, glycoprotein (GP)Ib, activated GPIIb/IIIa, and coagulation factor V in a three-color flow cytometric method.


RESULTS
The fresh and liquid-preserved platelets had normal surface levels of GPIb, while the cryopreserved platelets were composed of distinct subpopulations of GPIb-normal and GPIb-reduced platelets. On the basis of the binding of factor V, both subpopulations of cryopreserved platelets exhibited greater surface binding of factor V than did fresh and liquid-preserved platelets. Activated GPIIb/IIIa was elevated on GPIb-normal platelets, but not on GPIb-reduced platelets. Baboon platelets frozen by a procedure identical to that used to freeze human platelets also had GPIb-normal and GPIb-reduced subpopulations after the freezing-thawing-washing procedure. Autologous cryopreserved baboon platelets labeled with biotin-X-N-hydroxysuccinimide showed a rapid removal of GPIb-reduced platelets during the 5-minute postinfusion period, whereas GPIb-normal platelets had an in vivo recovery of 48 percent and a lifespan of slightly less than 6 days.


CONCLUSIONS
Improved in vivo function of cryopreserved platelets may be related to the rapid hemostatic effect of the GPIb-reduced subpopulation secondary to increased binding of factor V and expression of p-selectin.
Barnard
M R
MR
Naval Blood Research Laboratory, Boston University School of Medicine, Massachusetts 02118, USA.
MacGregor
H
H
Ragno
G
G
Pivacek
L E
LE
Khuri
S F
SF
Michelson
A D
AD
Valeri
C R
CR
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000097:blood; D001710:Biotin / Q000378:metabolism; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology; D001793:Blood Preservation; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D015925:Cryopreservation; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D019007:P-Selectin / Q000097:blood; D010215:Papio; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D019038:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIb-IX Complex / Q000032:analysis
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D019007:P-Selectin; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex; D019038:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIb-IX Complex; D001710:Biotin