Aggregation of bovine platelets by acetyl glyceryl ether phosphorylcholine (platelet activating factor)

Platelet activating factor is a multifaceted mediator of inflammation capable of stimulating platelet aggregation as well as anaphylaxis, neutropenia and numerous other in vitro and in vivo cellular changes. This lipid mediator, or autocoid, is released by a wide variety of inflammatory cells following an equally diverse group of cellular stimuli including phagocytosis or antigenic stimulation. The synthesized form of PAF is acetyl glyceryl ether phosphorylcholine (AGEPC). In this study AGEPC aggregated bovine platelets in a dose dependent manner. Maximal, irreversible aggregation occurred at 3.6 × 10 −11 M AGEPC with unwashed platelets and at 8.8 × 10 −12 M AGEPC with washed platelets. Aggregation failed to occur when platelets were tested with the biologically inactive structural analog of AGEPC. The possible contribution by platelet cyclooxygenase products was eliminated by showing lack of platelet aggregation to arachidonic acid and also by pretreating platelets with aspirin.