Intracellular membranes are more fluid in platelets of Alzheimer's disease patients

• Published in: Neurobiology of aging Vol. 12; no. 5; pp. 401 - 406
• Main Authors: Piletz, John E., Sarasua, M., Whitehouse, P., Chotani, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier Inc 01.09.1991; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alzheimer Disease - blood; Alzheimer Disease - psychology; Alzheimer's disease; Anisotropy; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Platelets - physiology; Cell Membrane - physiology; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Diphenylhexatriene; Fluorescence; Humans; Intracellular Membranes - physiology; Medical sciences; Membrane fluidity; Membrane Fluidity - physiology; Middle Aged; Neurology; Platelets; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Membrane fluidity; Platelets; Anisotropy; Alzheimer's disease; Human; Nervous system diseases; Platelet; Fluidity; Alzheimer disease; Exploration; Membrane; Degenerative disease
• ISSN: 0197-4580; 1558-1497
• DOI: 10.1016/0197-4580(91)90064-Q

We studied 12 patients with probable Alzheimer's disease versus age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects. Platelets were subfractionated into intracellular membranes and plasma membranes, and steady-state anisotropy of diphenylhexatriene was measured on the preparations as an index of membrane fluidity. Fluidity was higher in intracellular membranes from platelets of Alzheimer's patients compared to controls (P=0.016). However, no difference was observed in purified plasma membrane's fluidity from the same patients versus controls. Neither the platelet counts, platelet volumes, percent of larger platelets, nor the amount of internal membrane protein per platelet were different between groups. There was no correlation between intracellular membrane anisotropy and severity of dementia as measured on the Mini-Mental State Exam. The results extend previous studies suggesting that there is an intracellular membrane alteration in platelets in Alzheimer's disease.