Original basic research

Platelet adhesion onto immobilized fibrinogen under arterial and venous in-vitro flow conditions does not significantly differ between men and women

Robert Loncar¹ , Reiner B Zotz¹ , Christoph Sucker¹ , Aleksandar Vodovnik² , Mario Mihalj³ and Rüdiger E Scharf¹

¹  Institut für Hämostaseologie und Transfusionsmedizin, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Moorenstr. 5, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany

²  Department of Histopathology, The Calderdale Royal Hospital, HX3 0PW Halifax, UK

³  Department of Neurology, University Hospital Firule, Split, Croatia

author email corresponding author email

Thrombosis Journal 2007, 5:5doi:10.1186/1477-9560-5-5

Published:	26 April 2007

Abstract

Background

Gender-related differences in incidence of arterial thrombosis have been a focus of interest for years. The platelet integrin αIIbβ3 is primarily responsible for the interaction between platelets and fibrinogen and consecutive thrombus growth. In this study, we evaluated platelet adhesion onto immobilized fibrinogen under venous and arterial flow conditions in men and women.

Methods

Platelets in whole anticoagulated blood were labelled with the fluorescence dye Mepacrine and perfused through the rectangular flow chamber over glass cover slips coated with fibrinogen (shear rates of 50 s^-1, 500 s^-1 and 1500 s^-1). A fluorescence laser-scan microscope was used for visualisation and quantification of platelet adhesion at 15 seconds, 1 and 5 minutes after the start of perfusion.

Results

During perfusion, the platelet adhesion linearly increased in regard to exposition time and shear rate. After five minutes of perfusion the platelet adhesion onto immobilized fibrinogen showed no significant gender related difference, neither at 50 s^-1 nor at 500 s^-1 and 1500 s^-1 (p > 0.05), respectively. No significant difference in platelet adhesion onto immobilized fibrinogen, in regard to the menopausal status, was either observed (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

In our in vitro experimental system, hormonal differences between men and women did not influence platelet adhesion onto immobilized fibrinogen, neither under venous nor under arterial rheological conditions.