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. 2013 Apr;40(2):126-32.
doi: 10.1159/000350330. Epub 2013 Mar 15.

Tissue Factor Expression on Platelet Surface during Preparation and Storage of Platelet Concentrates

Alfonso Vignoli  1 , Cinzia Giaccherini, Marina Marchetti, Cristina Verzeroli, Chiara Gargantini, Luca Da Prada, Barbara Giussani, Anna Falanga
Affiliations

Tissue Factor Expression on Platelet Surface during Preparation and Storage of Platelet Concentrates

Alfonso Vignoli et al. Transfus Med Hemother. 2013 Apr.

Abstract

Background: Tissue factor (TF), the main activator of blood coagulation, is expressed on platelet surface and, together with procoagulant phospholipids, contributes to the global coagulation potential of these blood components. The present study evaluated, for the first time, the expression of TF on platelet surface during preparation and storage of platelet concentrates (PC) for transfusional use.

Methods: Platelet TF was measured by flow cytometry in healthy donor whole blood (WB) and in pooled buffy-coat-derived PC on the day of preparation and up to 4 days of storage in parallel with classical markers of platelet activation, i.e., fibrinogen, P-selectin, and glycoprotein GPIIb. Data were analyzed according to donor age and blood ABO group.

Results: TF was detected on whole blood platelets and was found highest in O donors. Compared to whole blood, platelet surface TF was higher upon PC preparation and further increased during storage. The rise in TF levels positively correlated with the elevations of the other platelet markers.

Conclusions: Our findings show that platelet surface TF is maintained in PC obtained by the pooled buffy coat method. Further studies are warranted to investigate a possible correlation between TF levels and the hemostatic response of the platelet transfusion recipient.

Keywords: Fibrinogen; Flow cytometry; P-selectin; Platelet concentrates; Tissue factor.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
TF expression on platelet surface in healthy donor whole blood. TF was measured by flow cytometry in whole blood samples from 180 donors. Data (mean ± SD) are presented as % of positive platelets found in all blood donor subjects group and according to ABO blood group. * = p < 0.05 vs. O; ** = p < 0.01 both.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Expression of TF, fibrinogen, P-selectin, and CD41 on platelet surface in freshly prepared PC (black bars) is increased compared to whole blood (open bars). Data are presented as relative increments of the % of positive platelets (TF, fibrinogen, and P-selectin), or of the antigenic density for (CD41) compared to whole blood values considered as 100%. * = p < 0.05 versus whole blood.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Effect of PC storage on platelet hemostatic markers. The expression of TF and the other markers is here depicted at PC preparation (D1, open bars), and after 4 (D4, grey bars) and 5 (D5, black bars) days of storage. Data (mean ± SD) are presented as percentage of positive platelets for TF, fibrinogen and P-selectin, and as antigenic density MFI arbitrary units for CD41. * = p < 0.05 versus D1. ** = p < 0.01 versus D1.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Correlations between the expression of platelet TF and other hemostatic markers in PC. Platelet TF expression is compared with the expression of P-selectin (upper panels) and bound fibrinogen (lower panels), at PC preparation (D1) or during storage (D4/D5). Data of all markers are expressed as % of positive platelets.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
ABO group analysis of platelet surface markers during PC storage. The expression of TF and the other markers is depicted at PC preparation (open bars), and after 4 (grey bars) and 5 (black bars) days of storage. Data (mean ± SD) are presented as percentage of positive platelets for TF, fibrinogen and P-selectin, or as antigenic density MFI arbitrary units for CD41. * = p < 0.05 vs. day 1.
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