The Prominent Pioneering ‘Plateleteer’: Reflections on and Personal Reminiscences of Gustav V. R. Born (1921–2018)

Abstract

Among the pioneers in platelet research, Gustav Born was perhaps the most prominent representative, just a real “plateleteer”. He achieved scientific fame for the invention and application of light transmission aggregometry. Importantly, he paved the way for contemporary antiplatelet therapy. Integrating his fundamental knowledge of platelet biology into the pathology of vascular disorders, Born provided seminal contributions to the understanding of atherogenesis and thrombogenesis. He also generated visions for pharmacological strategies that, nowadays, are translated into reality. Inside and outside of science, Born was a great man. He had a deeply held belief in humanity. In this article, his life, scientific career and achievements are appreciated together with personal reminiscences of this outstanding personality.

Keywords

Gustav Born - history of platelet research - lifetime achievements - platelet aggregometry - atherosclerosis - thrombosis

• References

• 1 Born GVR. Erinnerungen, Reminiscences. In: Schultes-Bannert L. (Hrsg) Max und Gustav Born Stiftung für Bildung: Schriftenreihe des Max-Born-Berufskollegs Recklinghausen; 2017. 5 3-143
• 2 Born GVR. The Born Family in Göttingen and Beyond. Institut für Wissenschaftsgeschichte. Termessos Verlag, Göttingen; 2002: 2-70
• 3 Coughlan S. The scientists who escaped the Nazis. In: BBC News July 17, 2013 . Available at: http://www.bbc.com . Accessed April 26, 2019
• 4 Born GVR. In: Georg-August-Universität: Göttingen and the World of Physics - an Evening with Professor Gustav Born. 2012 . Available at: http://www.uni-goettingen.de . Accessed April 26, 2019
• 5 Born GVR. In: Life and Work. Interview of Professor Gus Born by Professor Rod J Flower. Brit Pharmacol Soc 2003 . Available at: http://www.bps.ac.uk . Accessed April 26, 2019
• 6 Blaschko H, Born GVR, D'Iorio A, Eade NR. Observations on the distribution of catechol amines and adenosinetriphosphate in the bovine adrenal medulla. J Physiol 1956; 133 (03) 548-557
• 7 Born GVR. The break-down of adenosine triphosphate in blood platelets during clotting. J Physiol 1956; 133 (03) 61-62P
• 8 Born GVR, Gillson RE. The uptake of 5-hydroxytryptamine by blood platelets. J Physiol 1957; 137 (03) 82-83P
• 9 Born GVR, Hornykiewicz O, Stafford A. The uptake of adrenaline and noradrenaline by blood platelets of the pig. Br J Pharmacol Chemother 1958; 13 (04) 411-414
• 10 Born GVR, Ingram GI, Stacey RS. The relationship between 5-hydroxytryptamine and adenosine triphosphate in blood platelets. Br J Pharmacol Chemother 1958; 13 (01) 62-64
• 11 Born GVR, Gillson RE. Studies on the uptake of 5-hydroxytryptamine by blood platelets. J Physiol 1959; 146 (03) 472-491
• 12 Born GVR. Aggregation of blood platelets by adenosine diphosphate and its reversal. Nature 1962; 194: 927-929
• 13 O’Brien JR. Platelet aggregation: Part I Some effects of the adenosine phosphates, thrombin, and cocaine upon platelet adhesiveness; Part II Some results from a new method of study. J Clin Pathol 1962; 15 (05) 446-452 ; 452–456
• 14 Born GVR. Comment on John O'Brien. In: Reynolds LA, Tansey EM. , eds. The Recent History of Platelets in Thrombosis and Other Disorders. Wellcome Witnesses to Twentieth Century Medicine, vol. 23. London: Wellcome Trust Centre for the History of Medicine at UCL; 2005: 23 . Available at: http://www.histmodbiomed.org/sites/default/files/44846.pdf
• 15 Born G, Patrono C. Antiplatelet drugs. Br J Pharmacol 2006; 147 (Suppl. 01) S241-S251
• 16 Born GVR. Comment on patenting inventions or biomedical discoveries or inventions. In: Reynolds LA, Tansey EM. , eds. The Recent History of Platelets in Thrombosis and Other Disorders. Wellcome Witnesses to Twentieth Century Medicine, vol. 23. London: Wellcome Trust Centre for the History of Medicine at UCL; 2005: 8 . Available at: http://www.histmodbiomed.org/sites/default/files/44846.pdf
• 17 Hayward CP, Moffat KA. Platelet aggregation. In: Michelson AD, Cattaneo M, Frelinger AL, Newman PJ. , eds. Platelets, 4th ed. London - San Diego - Cambridge, MA: Academic Press Elsevier Inc.; 2019: 609-626
• 18 Cattaneo M, Cerletti C, Harrison P. , et al. Recommendations for the standardization of light transmission aggregometry: a consensus of the Working Party from the Platelet Physiology Subcommittee of SSC/ISTH. J Thromb Haemost 2013; 11: 1183-1189
• 19 Clayton S, Born GVR, Cross MJ. Inhibition of the aggregation of blood platelets by nucleosides. Nature 1963; 200: 138-139
• 20 Born GVR, Cross MJ. Effect of adenosine diphosphate on the concentration of platelets in circulating blood. Nature 1963; 197: 974-976
• 21 Born GVR. Strong Inhibition by 2-chloroadenosine of the aggregation of blood platelets by adenosine diphosphate. Nature 1964; 202: 95-96
• 22 Born GVR, Honour AJ, Mitchell JR. Inhibition by adenosine and by 2-chloroadenosine of the formation and embolization of platelet thrombi. Nature 1964; 202: 761-765
• 23 Born GVR, Haslam RJ, Goldman M. Comparative effectiveness of adenosine analogues as inhibitors of blood platelet aggregation and as vasodilators in man. Nature 1965; 205: 678-680
• 24 Born GVR. Uptake of adenosine and of adenosine diphosphate by human blood platelets. Nature 1965; 206 (989) 1121-1122
• 25 Born GVR. Inhibition of thrombogenesis by inhibition of platelet aggregation. Thromb Diath Haemorrh Suppl 1966; 21: 159-166
• 26 Born GVR. Possible mechanisms of platelet aggregation by ADP and of its inhibition. Thromb Diath Haemorrh Suppl 1967; 26: 173-174
• 27 Born GVR. The uptake of adrenaline by human blood platelets. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Exp Pathol Pharmakol 1968; 259 (02) 155-156
• 28 Born GVR, Mills DC. Potentiation of the inhibitory effect of adenosine on platelet aggregation by drugs that prevent its uptake. J Physiol 1969; 202 (01) 41P-42P
• 29 Born GVR. Platelet pharmacology in relation to thrombosis. Adv Cardiol 1970; 4: 161-174
• 30 Born GVR, Smith JB. Uptake, metabolism and release of (3H)-adrenaline by human platelets. Br J Pharmacol 1970; 39 (04) 765-778
• 31 Born GVR. Role of the competition in inhibition of platelet aggregation by adenosine. Acta Med Scand Suppl 1971; 525: 173-174
• 32 Born GVR. Inhibition of platelet aggregation by chemicals and drugs. Acta Med Scand Suppl 1971; 525: 209-210
• 33 Born GVR. Light on platelets. J Physiol 2005; 568 (Pt 3): 713-714
• 34 Born GVR. Coronary thrombosis: pathogenesis and prevention. Adv Exp Med Biol 1990; 281: 355-359
• 35 Born GVR, Shafi S, Cusack NJ. Evidence for the acceleration of atherogenesis by circulating norepinephrine. Transplant Proc 1989; 21 (04) 3660-3661
• 36 Born GVR. Recent evidence for the involvement of catecholamines and of macrophages in atherosclerotic processes. Ann Med 1991; 23 (05) 569-572
• 37 Richardson PD, Davies MJ, Born GVR. Influence of plaque configuration and stress distribution on fissuring of coronary atherosclerotic plaques. Lancet 1989; 2 (8669): 941-944
• 38 Lendon CL, Davies MJ, Born GV, Richardson PD. Atherosclerotic plaque caps are locally weakened when macrophages density is increased. Atherosclerosis 1991; 87 (01) 87-90
• 39 Begent N, Born GVR. Growth rate in vivo of platelet thrombi, produced by iontophoresis of ADP, as a function of mean blood flow velocity. Nature 1970; 227 (5261): 926-930
• 40 Born GVR. Fluid-mechanical and biochemical interactions in haemostasis. Br Med Bull 1977; 33 (03) 193-197
• 41 Born GVR. Haemodynamic and biochemical interactions in intravascular platelet aggregation. Ciba Found Symp 1980; 71: 61-77
• 42 Schmid-Schönbein H, Born GVR, Richardson PD. , et al. Rheology of thrombotic processes in flow: the interaction of erythrocytes and thrombocytes subjected to high flow forces. Biorheology 1981; 18 (3–6): 415-444
• 43 Atherton A, Born GV. Proceedings: effects of neuraminidase and N-acetyl neuraminic acid on the adhesion of circulating granulocytes and platelets in venules. J Physiol 1973; 234 (02) 66P-67P
• 44 Atherton A, Born GVR. Quantitative investigations of the adhesiveness of circulating polymorphonuclear leucocytes to blood vessel walls. J Physiol 1972; 222 (02) 447-474
• 45 Atherton A, Born GVR. Effect of blood flow velocity on the rolling of granulocytes in venules. J Physiol 1973; 231 (01) 35P-36P
• 46 Atherton A, Born GVR. Relationship between the velocity of rolling granulocytes and that of the blood flow in venules. J Physiol 1973; 233 (01) 157-165
• 47 Born GVR, Planker M, Richardson PD. Influence of blood flow on granulocyte adhesion in venules [proceedings]. J Physiol 1979; 289: 76P-77P
• 48 Görög P, Born GVR. Increased adhesiveness of granulocytes in rabbit ear-chamber blood vessels perfused with neuraminidase. Microvasc Res 1982; 23 (03) 380-384