The majority of circulating platelet-derived microparticles fail to bind annexin V, lack phospholipid-dependent procoagulant activity and demonstrate greater expression of glycoprotein Ib

• Published in: Thrombosis and haemostasis Vol. 103; no. 5; p. 1044
• Main Authors: Connor, David Ewan, Exner, Thomas, Ma, David Dang Fung, Joseph, Joanne Emily
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 01.05.2010
• Subjects: Annexin A5 - metabolism; Antigens, CD - biosynthesis; Blood Coagulation - drug effects; Blood Coagulation Tests; Blood Platelets - drug effects; Blood Platelets - metabolism; Blood Platelets - pathology; Cell-Derived Microparticles - drug effects; Cell-Derived Microparticles - metabolism; Cell-Derived Microparticles - pathology; Cells, Cultured; Collagen - pharmacology; Flow Cytometry; Humans; Ionophores - pharmacology; Phosphatidylserines - metabolism; Platelet Glycoprotein GPIb-IX Complex - genetics; Platelet Glycoprotein GPIb-IX Complex - metabolism; Protein Binding
• ISSN: 0340-6245
• DOI: 10.1160/TH09-09-0644

It has been widely accepted that microparticles expose phosphatidylserine which in turn binds annexin V. It was the objective of this study to compare the antigenic characteristics and phospholipid-dependent procoagulant activity of annexin V positive and -negative subpopulations of platelet-derived microparticles. Annexin V positive and -negative microparticles were identified and characterised using flow cytometry and procoagulant activity was measured by a phospholipid-dependent assay (XACT). In unstimulated platelet-poor plasma, 80% of platelet-derived microparticles failed to bind annexin V. Varying the assay constituents (buffer, calcium and annexin V concentration) did not alter annexin V binding. The proportion of microparticles that bound annexin V was dependent upon the agonist, with physiological agonists such as collagen resulting in fewer annexin V binding microparticles than non-physiological agonists such as ionophore. CD42b (glycoprotein Ib) expression was significantly decreased and CD62p and CD63 expression were significantly increased in annexin V positive compared to annexin V negative subpopulations. There was no significant difference in CD41, CD61, CD42a and CD40L expression between annexin V positive and -negative subpopulations. A significant correlation between annexin V binding and XACT was found (p=0.033). Annexin V inhibited greater than 95% of phospholipid activity, suggesting that annexin V binding was a true reflection of procoagulant activity. The majority of platelet-derived microparticles in unstimulated plasma failed to bind annexin V and showed significantly increased levels of CD42b compared to annexin V positive events. Phospholipid-dependent procoagulant activity is limited to the annexin V positive subpopulation and is agonist-dependent. The significance of annexin V negative microparticles is unclear, however, it is possible that they possess other activities aside from procoagulant phospholipid activity.