Platelets of type 2 diabetic patients are characterized by high ATP content and low mitochondrial membrane potential

Platelet dysfunction plays a critical role in vascular complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). But the relationship between platelet hyperactivity and its energy metabolic process remains unclear. This study was designed to explore alterations of platelet mitochondrial ATP production and the possible mechanism. A total of 39 T2DM patients without macrovascular and microvascular complications and 32 normal controls were fasting sampled. Platelet ATP content was measured by a high performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC). The flow cytometry technique was adopted to evaluate mitochondrial membrane potential (DeltaPsim), the stored force for platelet ATP production. Consequently, T2DM patients exhibited obvious hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia and hypertension, but normal platelet morphology. Platelet ATP content was significantly higher in T2DM (0.032 +/- 0.010 micromol/10(9) platelets versus 0.017 +/- 0.006 micromol/10(9) platelets, p < 0.001) than in the control group. Interestingly, DeltaPsim was markedly decreased in T2DM patients (0.79 +/- 0.18 versus 2.70 +/- 1.03, p < 0.001) compared with normal controls. For whole subjects, a stepwise regression showed that plasma glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level positively correlated to platelet ATP content (beta = 0.552, 95% CI = 0.072-1.451), and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) level was negatively correlated to DeltaPsim (beta = -0.372, 95% CI = -0.471 to -0.089). These data support that hyperglycemia of T2DM promotes platelet mitochondria to generate more ATP, but decreases platelet mitochondrial potential. The discordance between them requires further researches to elucidate.