Summary
Platelet functions are increasingly measured under flow conditions to account for
blood hydrodynamic effects. Typically, these studies involve exposing platelets to
high shear stress for periods significantly longer than would occur in vivo. In the current study, we demonstrate that the platelet response to high shear depends
on the duration of shear exposure. In response to a 100 dyn/cm2 shear stress for periods less than 10-20 sec, platelets in PRP or washed platelets
were aggregated, but minimally activated as demonstrated by P-selectin expression
and binding of the activation-dependent αIIbβ3 antibody PAC-1 to sheared platelets. Furthermore, platelet aggregation under such
short pulses of high shear was subjected to rapid disaggregation. The disaggregated
platelets could be re-aggregated by ADP in a pattern similar to unsheared platelets.
In comparison, platelets that are exposed to high shear for longer than 20 sec are
activated and aggregated irreversibly. In contrast, platelet activation and aggregation
were significantly greater in whole blood with significantly less disaggregation.
The enhancement is likely via increased collision frequency of platelet-platelet interaction
and duration of platelet-platelet association due to high cell density. It may also
be attributed to the ADP release from other cells such as red blood cells because
increased platelet aggregation in whole blood was partially inhibited by ADP blockage.
These studies demonstrate that platelets have a higher threshold for shear stress
than previously believed. In a pathologically relevant timeframe, high shear alone
is likely to be insufficient in inducing platelet activation and aggregation, but
acts synergistically with other stimuli.
Keywords
Shear stress - stenosis - platelet activation - aggregation