Thrombin-induced membrane depolarization of platelets and its inhibition by cetiedil

When 50 microM cetiedil alone was added to a platelet suspension, increase in Na+ content, decrease in K+ content, and depolarization of platelet membrane were observed without change in the intracellular concentration of free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]1) or in the morphology of platelets. The cetiedil-induced depolarization was attenuated by the reduction of extracellular sodium concentration, while sodium transport inhibitors such as procaine and tetrodotoxin failed to modify the depolarization. On the other hand, thrombin caused such changes in platelets as increases in Na+ content, 22Na space and [Ca2+]1, decrease in K+ content, and membrane depolarization. All these changes caused by thrombin were inhibited by cetiedil. It is suggested that cetiedil brought the increased ion transport and subsequent partial depolarization, which might lead to modification of the reaction of platelet membrane induced by thrombin.