Ganglioside content of human platelets--differences in resting and activated platelets

Abstract

Gangliosides may play functional roles in platelet physiology, therefore this study has been designed to evaluate whether changes in ganglioside composition may occur as a consequence of platelet activation. The results obtained indicate that lactosylceramide and GM3 are the major glycosphingolipids of human platelets. The lipid-bound sialic acid (LBSA) content was 1.27 +/- 0.04 micrograms/mg of protein. Resting platelets did not express GD3; GD3 was synthesized upon platelet activation (24 +/- 8 ng/mg of protein). The stimulation of platelets with adenosine diphosphate showed the appearance of GD3 even in the absence of degranulation. Finally, incorporation of pyrene-labeled GM3 into platelet membranes, followed by stimulation with adenosine diphosphate, resulted in the appearance of a fluorescent band comigrating with GD3. The present studies indicate that sialytransferase activation may occur as an early event following platelet stimulation, leading to GD3 synthesis mainly from the GM3 pool.