Impact of glucose and acetate on the characteristics of the platelet storage lesion in platelets suspended in additive solutions with minimal plasma.
OBJECTIVE
Glucose and acetate have been proposed to be required elements in platelet storage media. This study investigated the role of these compounds on the varied elements that comprise the platelet storage lesion.


METHODS
For each replicate, four pooled and split ABO group-specific buffy coat-derived platelet concentrates were suspended in an in-house additive solution with minimal plasma and varying final concentrations of acetate or glucose. Units were sampled on days 2, 3, 6, 8 and 10 and tested for markers of platelet morphology, activation, function, metabolism and indicators of cell death.


RESULTS
The absence of glucose was associated with a decrease in ATP, falling to a mean of 1·1 ± 0·1 μmol/10(11) plts in units with no added glucose compared with 4·2 ± 0·6 μmol/10(11) plts (P < 0·001) in units with 30 mm glucose. As glucose became depleted, the decrease in ATP to levels below 3 μmol/10(11) plts was associated with an increase in both annexin V binding and intracellular free calcium. In units lacking exogenous acetate, ATP levels on day 10 were 5·2 ± 1·5 μmol/10(11) plts compared with 2·7 ± 0·9 μmol/10(11) plts in units with 56 mm acetate (P = 0·006). Higher concentrations of exogenous acetate were associated with a lower hypotonic shock response and higher surface expression of CD62P suggestive of a dose dependency.


CONCLUSIONS
Under current physical storage conditions, glucose appears necessary for the maintenance of platelets stored as concentrates in minimal volumes of plasma. The addition of acetate was associated with increased platelet activation and reduced ATP levels.
Welsh Blood Service, Pontyclun, UK. Christine.Saunders2@wales.nhs.uk
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C
Saunders
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G
Rowe
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K
Wilkins
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Collins
D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001793:Blood Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D005947:Glucose / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010949:Plasma; D015539:Platelet Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D013997:Time Factors
D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D005947:Glucose; D019342:Acetic Acid