A Practical Approach to Platelet Phenotype Profiling Using Microplate Aggregometry.

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Pharmacology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Blood platelets show functional diversity, but subpopulations lack clear classification principles.
• Existing methods do not efficiently distinguish platelet phenotypes under standard laboratory conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a methodology for assessing platelet reactivity and inhibitor sensitivity.
• To enable rapid identification of platelet phenotypes for personalized medicine.

Main Methods:

• Phenotyping healthy subjects via platelet aggregation assays using agonists and inhibitors for P2Y12, PAR-1, and GPVI receptors.
• Classifying variants based on EC50/IC50 values and employing cluster analyses.
• Utilizing two- and six-variable cluster analyses for robust variant classification.

Main Results:

• Two distinct platelet clusters (variants) were consistently identified.
• Cluster 1: High agonist responsiveness, low inhibitor sensitivity (low EC50, high IC50).
• Cluster 2: Moderate to high EC50, moderate to low IC50, indicating inverse sensitivity patterns. No 'low responder' group was found.

Conclusions:

• The proposed methodology offers flexibility and accessibility for identifying platelet phenotypes.
• This approach can identify individuals at elevated cardiovascular risk.
• Enables personalized antiplatelet therapy strategies, particularly in primary prevention.