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The interaction of human blood platelets with collagenase-treated rabbit subendothelium was studied by histochemical ultrastructural methods and by morphometric semi-quantitative analysis. Aortas were deendothelialized and incubated: 1) with a highly purified bacterial collagenase whose specificity was controlled; and 2) with the same collagenase followed by chymotrypsin. For histochemical studies, tannic acid, ruthenium red, and peroxidase-labeled Ricinus communis and concanavalin A were used. Electron microscopy showed that after digestion of fibrillar collagen by collagenase, adherent and aggregated platelets were observed on Ricinus communis-, concanavalin A-, and ruthenium red-positive glycoprotein microfibrils. After successive incubation with collagenase and chymotrypsin, the microfibrils disappeared. No platelets were observed on the remnant amorphous elastin. Morphometric analysis confirmed the interaction of platelets with collagenase-treated subendothelium. In addition, glycoproteins were extracted from collagenase-treated rabbit aortas using 5 M guanidine. Using an in vitro quantitative test, significant platelet adhesion to these glycoproteins was observed. Our results show an interaction between platelets and noncollagenic glycoprotein microfibrils.

Adult bovine aortic tissue was treated with 6 M guanidinium chloride in the presence of proteinase inhibitors to obtain an extract that was essentially devoid of collagenous components and appeared homogeneous by electron microscopy. When this extract was dispersed by sonication it was found to be a very potent inducer of human platelet aggregation. This interaction required the presence of von Willebrand factor and of its receptor (glycoprotein Ib) on platelet membrane. This was demonstrated by the fact that the aggregation of normal blood platelets resuspended in plasmas deficient in von Willebrand factor was significantly diminished as compared to aggregation in control plasma. Moreover, this aggregation was inhibited by a monoclonal antibody, IgG AN51, to platelet glycoprotein Ib. These studies provide direct biochemical evidence for the existence of a thrombogenic constituent of the vessel wall that is noncollagenous and von Willebrand factor-dependent.

The culture medium of bovine aortic endothelial cells contains proteins which inhibit the aggregation of platelets induced by aortic microfibrils but not by type III collagen. From this medium, fibronectin, thrombospondin and a glycoprotein with MW of 128 Kd (GP 128), similar to a glycoprotein described in a microfibrillar extract from bovine aorta were separated by affinity and ion exchange chromatography. GP 128 was further purified by molecular sieve chromatography on SW 3000 column. GP 128 inhibited the aggregation of platelets by microfibrils. This suggests a role of GP 128 in the platelet/subendothelium interaction.