Effect of Dextrans in Vitro on the Adenosine Diphosphate Induced Adhesiveness of Human Blood Platelets^[*]

Summary

The effect of adding dextrans with Mw from 40,000 to 153,000 to blood samples on the ADP induced platelet adhesiveness to glass has been studied. It was observed that a dextran concentration in the plasma of 1 % did not change the adhesiveness, while a concentration of 1.5 and 2% caused a slight increase. The results make it less likely that the decreased tendency of the platelets to aggregate in vivo after dextran treatment, as described by other authors, is due to an effect on the ADP reactive receptors located on the surface of the platelets.

^* This investigation was supported by a grant from AB Pharmacia, Uppsala, Sweden.

• References

• Berman H. J, Fulton G. P. Platelets in peripheral circulation. In “Blood Platelets”. Henry Ford Hosp. Int. Symp. 7 1961;
• Berman H. J. Platelet agglutinability as a factor in hemostasis. Bibl. anat. (Basel) 04: 736 1964;
• Bloom W. L, Harmer D. S, Bryant M. F, Brewer S. S. Coating of vascular surfaces and cells. A new concept in prevention of intravascular thrombosis. Proc. Soc. exp. Biol. (N. Y) 115: 384 1964;
• Borgström S, Gelin L-E, Zederfeldt B. The formation of vein thrombi following tissue injury. Acta chir. scand., suppl. 247 1959;
• Brewer S. S. The stenoplastic effect of dextran on platelets. The mechanism for prevention of thromboembolism. Xth Congr. Int. Soc. Haemat; Stockholm: 1964
• Bryant M. F, Bloom W. L, Brewer S. S. Use of dextran in preventing thrombosis of small arteries following surgical trauma. J. med. Ass. Ga 50: 580 1961;
• Bryant M. F, Bloom W. L, Brewer S. S. Experimental study of the antithrombotic properties of dextrans of low molecular weight. Amer. Surg 29: 256 1963;
• Bryant M. F, Bloom W. L, Brewer S. S. Study of the antithrombotic properties of dextrans of large molecular weight. J. cardiovasc. Surg. (Torino) 05: 48 1964;
• Castaneda A. R, Bernstein E, Bangstadt F, Varco R. L. Effect of PVP, mannitol, dextrose and dextran on red blood cell charge. Israel med. J 11: 128 1964;
• Ewald R. A, Eichelberger J. W, Joung A. A, Weiss H. J, Crosby W. H. The effect of dextran on platelet factor 3 activity: in vitro and in vivo studies. Transfusion (Philad) 05: 109 1965;
• Hellem A. J. The adhesiveness of human blood platelets in vitro . Scand. J. clin. Lab, Invest. 12, suppl. 51 1960;
• Hellem A. J, Ödegaard A. E, Skälhegg B. A. Investigations on adenosine diphosphate (ADP) induced platelet adhesiveness in vitro. Part I. The ADP-platelet reaction in various experimental conditions. Thrombos. Diathes. haemorrh. (Stuttg) 10: 61 1963;
• Tacobaeus U. Studies on the effect of dextran on the coagulation of blood. Acta med. scand., suppl. 322 1957;
• Koekenberg L. J.L. Experimental use of Macrodex as a prophylaxis against post-operative thrombo-embolism. Excerpta med. (Amst.) Sect 40: 123 1961;
• Moncrief J. A, Darin J. G, Ganizaro P. C, Sawyer R. B. Use of dextran to prevent arterial and venons thrombosis. Ann. Snrg 158: 553 1963;
• Ross S. W, Ebert R. V. Microelectrophoresis of blood platelets and the effects of dextran. J. clin. Invest 38: 155 1959;
• Rothman S, Adelson E, Schwebel A, Langdell R. D. Adsorption of carbon 14 dextran to human blood platelets and red blood cells in vitro . Vox Sang. (Basel) 02: 104 1957;
• Sawyer R. B, Moncrief J. A. Dextran specificity in thrombus inhibition. Arch. Surg 90: 562 1965;