Procoagulant expression in platelets and defects leading to clinical disorders

Hemostasis is a result of interactions between fibrillar structures in the damaged vessel wall, soluble components in plasma, and cellular elements in blood represented mainly by platelets and platelet-derived material. During formation of a platelet plug at the damaged vessel wall, factors IXa and VIIIa form the "tenase" complex, leading to activation of factor X on the surface of activated platelets. Subsequently, factors Xa and Va form the "prothrombinase" complex, which catalyzes the formation of thrombin from prothrombin, leading to fibrin formation. An enhanced expression of negatively charged phosphatidylserine in the outer membrane leaflet resulting from a breakdown of the phospholipid asymmetry is essential for the formation of the procoagulant surface. An ATP-driven and inward-acting aminophospholipid "translocase" and a "floppase" counterbalancing this have been postulated to maintain the dynamic state of phospholipid asymmetry. A phospholipid-nonspecific "scramblase," believed to be responsible for the fast breakdown of the asymmetry during cell activation, has recently been isolated from erythrocytes, cloned, and characterized. An intracellular calcium-binding segment and one or more thioesterified fatty acids are probably of importance for calcium-induced activation of this transporter protein. Cytosolic calcium ions also activate the calcium-dependent protease calpain associated with shedding of microvesicles from the transformed platelet membrane. These are shed with a procoagulant surface and with surface-exposed P-selectin from the alpha-granules. Theoretically, therefore, microvesicles can be involved in both coagulation and inflammation. Scott syndrome is probably caused by a defect in the activation of an otherwise normal scramblase, resulting in a relatively severe bleeding tendency. In Stormorken syndrome, the patients demonstrate a spontaneous surface expression of aminophospholipids. Activated platelets and the presence of procoagulant microvesicles have been demonstrated in several clinical conditions, such as thrombotic and idiopathic thrombocytopenia, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and HIV-1 infection, and have been found to be associated with fibrin in thrombosis. Procoagulant microvesicles may also be formed from other cells as a result of apoptosis.