Methodological issues in the preparation and assay of platelet 3H-imipramine binding

Several methodological factors in the preparation of platelets and the determination of platelet 3H-imipramine (3H-IMI) binding were examined. The ionic composition of the assay significantly affected platelet 3H-IMI binding. Approximately 25% of the specific binding of 3H-IMI to intact platelet preparations was retained in the absence of sodium and chloride ions. The addition of sodium ions enhanced the specific binding of 3H-IMI, but the addition of chloride in the presence of sodium had a more pronounced effect, enhancing binding approximately five-fold over that observed with the addition of sodium. Sodium was the only cation tested that enhanced binding. Only halides enhanced binding in the presence of sodium with the following order of potency: Cl- greater than Br- greater than I- = F-. Ions increased the density of binding sites (Bmax) and did not affect the affinity of the binding sites for 3H-IMI. In the presence of sodium and chloride, the use of serotonin (5HT) to define nonspecific binding in saturation experiments resulted in lower binding densities (Bmax) than when desipramine was used to define nonspecific binding. The component of binding that was insensitive to 5HT was roughly equal to the Bmax of 3H-IMI binding obtained in the absence of sodium and chloride using desipramine to define nonspecific binding. Overall, these data suggest that not all 3H-IMI binding that is displaced by desipramine is related to serotonergic mechanisms, and suggest that 5HT is a better choice than desipramine for the determination of the nonspecific binding of 3H-IMI. In addition, the binding of 3H-IMI to different platelet preparations was compared. The binding of 3H-IMI to intact platelets was less than that obtained using lysed platelet membranes when data were expressed per mg protein. The Coomassie Blue dye-binding method to determine platelet protein resulted in greater Bmax values than were obtained with the Folin phenol reagent method. The method of platelet preparation that is commonly used to prepare platelets for 3H-IMI binding resulted in similar binding values when compared to a method that prepares the entire platelet population. The results suggest that some, but not all, variations in laboratory methods used to prepare platelets and assay for platelet 3H-IMI binding may affect clinical studies examining this measure.