Dependence of human platelet functional responses on divalent cations: aggregation and secretion in heparin- and hirudin-anticoagulated platelet-rich plasma and the effects of chelating agents.

The dependence of ADP- and epinephrine-induced platelet aggregation and secretion on extracellular divalent cations was examined by quantitating these responses in citrate-, heparin-, and hirudin-anticoagulated platelet-rich plasma. ADP-induced 14C-5HT secretion in heparin-PRP and hirudin-PRP was generally decreased, relative to that in citrate-PRP, without corresponding reductions in aggregation, whereas in response to epinephrine, both aggregation and secretion were decreased in heparin-PRP, and abolished in hirudin-PRP. In heparin-PRP, but not in hirudin-PRP, the degree to which these responses were altered was highly variable among normal subjects, and was dependent on the anticoagulant concentration. Addition of citrate restored the extent of ADP-induced secretion and of epinephrine-induced aggregation and secretion in heparin-PRP to that observed in citrate-PRP, and increased the extent of ADP-induced secretion in hirudin-PRP. Addition of EDTA or EGTA, however, had no effect of ADP-induced secretion in heparin-PRP. These results suggest that ADP-induced aggregation and secretion, as well as responses to ADP vs. epinephrine, have different dependencies on extracellular or surface-bound divalent cations. The variable responses observed in heparin-PRP may reflect direct interactions of heparin with platelets, and this variability may account for the conflicting results of previous studies.