title: Haemostatic properties of human plasma subjected to a sterilizing dose of gamma irradiation in the presence of ascorbate.
abstract: The objective was to study the effects of gamma irradiation, in the presence of sodium ascorbate, on coagulation/fibrinolytic activity of fresh frozen plasma to be applied to inactivate the transfusion-transmitted viruses in plasma-derived products. Plasma was irradiated (50 kGy total dose, on dry ice) using a 60Co source. The plasma proteins were analysed by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and western blot and the following parameters estimated: prothrombin time, functional fibrinogen concentration, thrombin-induced fibrinogen polymerization, plasminogen activity, and tissue-type plasminogen activator-induced conversion of plasminogen to plasmin. In irradiated plasma a moderate fragmentation of the most labile plasma proteins was found. The prothrombin time was prolonged (1.5-fold), functional fibrinogen was significantly reduced (60%), fibrinogen polymerization was impaired, plasminogen was predominantly maintained (90%) and tissue-type plasminogen activator-induced conversion of plasminogen to plasmin was unchanged. Ascorbate (25 mmol/l) raised the level of functional fibrinogen in irradiated plasma (to 50%; P=0.0245) and slightly accelerated its polymerization. The small protective effect of ascorbate might be due to inhibition of the radiation-induced fibrinogen oxidation and/or fragmentation but addition of other antioxidants/stabilizers would be crucial when a high irradiation dose, an effective treatment for inactivation of the most resistant viruses, is applied.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Biochemistry, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland. zbikow@biol.uni.lodz.pl
authors.forename: Halina Malgorzata
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Zbikowska
authors.forename: Pawel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nowak
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wachowicz
mesh_terms: D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000528:radiation effects; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000528:radiation effects; D005720:Gamma Rays; D006487:Hemostasis / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006801:Humans; D010949:Plasma / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013242:Sterilization / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D005340:Fibrinogen; D001205:Ascorbic Acid