Relationship between the Increased Haemostatic Properties of Blood Platelets and Oxidative Stress Level in Multiple Sclerosis Patients with the Secondary Progressive Stage

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the autoimmune disease of the central nervous system with complex pathogenesis, different clinical courses and recurrent neurological relapses and/or progression. Despite various scientific papers that focused on early stage of MS, our study targets selective group of late stage secondary progressive MS patients. The presented work is concerned with the reactivity of blood platelets in primary hemostasis in SP MS patients. 50 SP MS patients and 50 healthy volunteers (never diagnosed with MS or other chronic diseases) were examined to evaluate the biological activity of blood platelets (adhesion, aggregation), especially their response to the most important physiological agonists (thrombin, ADP, and collagen) and the effect of oxidative stress on platelet activity. We found that the blood platelets from SP MS patients were significantly more sensitive to all used agonists in comparison with control group. Moreover, the platelet hemostatic function was advanced in patients suffering from SP MS and positively correlated with increased production of O2 (-∙) in these cells, as well as with Expanded Disability Status Scale. We postulate that the increased oxidative stress in blood platelets in SP MS may be primarily responsible for the altered haemostatic properties of blood platelets.

Figure 1

The adhesion of resting platelets to fibrinogen (2 mg/mL) (a) or collagen (0.1 U/mL) (b). The data are presented as means ± SD (n = 50; ^∗ p < 0.0001 SP MS platelets versus control (without MS) by Mann-Whitney U test).

Figure 2

The adhesion of thrombin-activated platelets to fibrinogen (2 mg/mL) (a) or collagen (0.1 U/mL) (b). The data are presented as means ± SD (n = 50; ^∗ p < 0.0001 SP MS versus control (without MS) by Mann-Whitney U test).

Figure 3

The blood platelet aggregation induced by ADP in platelet-rich-plasma (PRP). (a) The data are presented as means ± SD (n = 50; ^∗ p < 0.0001 SP MS platelets versus control (without MS) by Mann-Whitney U test). (b) The typical curve of platelet aggregation after stimulation of platelets by ADP (Chrono-Log aggregometer, Havertown, PA).

Figure 4

The blood platelet aggregation induced by collagen in platelet-rich-plasma (PRP). (a) The data are presented as means ± SD (n = 50; ^∗ p < 0.0001 SP MS platelets versus control (without MS) by Mann-Whitney U test). (b) The typical curve of platelet aggregation after stimulation of platelets by ADP (Chrono-Log aggregometer, Havertown, PA).

Figure 5

The generation of superoxide anion radicals in blood platelets from SP MS patients. The results are done in triplicate and are expressed as means ± SD (n = 50, ^∗ p < 0.001 versus control (without MS) by Student's t-test).

Figure 6

The correlation analysis between the superoxide anion level in blood platelets and the platelet adhesion to fibrinogen (a) or collagen (b) or the platelet aggregation induced by collagen (c) (Spearman's rank correlation).

Figure 7

The correlation analysis between the Expanded Disability Status Scale and the platelet aggregation induced by ADP (a) or collagen (b) or the Beck Depression Inventory (c) (Spearman's rank correlation).