Arachidonate Metabolism And Platelet Disaggregation (DA)-Reaggregation (RA)
Previous work has shown that platelets irreversibly aggregated by ADP or thrombin (T) can be dissociated by various agents and that the refractory state of disaggregated cells can be reversed immediately by treatment with epinephrine (E). In the present study we have evaluated the influence of drugs which affect different steps in the process of prostaglandin (PG) synthesis on platelet DA-RA. Aspirin and indomethacin did not cause DA of platelets in the process of aggregation nor did they prevent reversal of the refractory state by E and subsequent RA of previously dissociated platelets. Imidazole, which inhibits conversion of endoperoxide to thromboxane A2, also failed to influence DA or restoration of sensitvity and RA of disaggregated platelets. On the other hand, chemicals which interfere with release of AA from the membrane of activated platelets, such as mepacrine, chlorpromazine and trifluoperazine, caused rapid DA. Products of PG synthesis, such as PGE1, PGD2 and PGI2, which usually inhibit platelet aggregation, also caused rapid DA. The refractory state of platelets dissociated from aggregates by most of these agents could be reversed by E treatment. However, trifluoperazine disaggregated platelets could be reaggregated only by the combination of E and AA. Agents which block the a-adrenergic receptors did not cause dissociation of aggregating platelets, but prevented correction of the refractory state of dissociated platelets by E. Thus interference with AA release, even after aggregation, can cause DA of clumped platelets, but blockade of peroxidase, cyclo-oxygenase and thromboxane synthetase do not cause reversal once it is in progress. A membrane linked mechanism associated with AA availability, but not metabolism, regulates DA and restoration of membrane sensitivity for RA.