Platelet functions and energy metabolism in a patient with hexokinase deficiency

We have studied the regeneration of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in the glycolytic pathway in platelets with a 75% reduction in hexokinase (HK) activity and have investigated aggregation and Ca2+ secretion. HK-deficient platelets had a normal glycolytic flux in the resting state, but responded insufficiently to stimulation with thrombin (5 U/ml). In contrast, glycogen contents and glycogenolysis were normal. When the metabolic adenine nucleotides were labeled with 14C-adenine, the patient's platelets showed a normal adenylate energy charge and a normal level of 14C-ATP. However, the inhibitor of mitochondrial energy generation, CN-, induced a weaker fall in 14C-ATP in the patient's platelets than in the controls. Analysis of secretion markers revealed decreased amounts of granule-bound ATP and secretable Ca2+, whereas granule-bound adenosine diphosphate (ADP), beta-thromboglobulin, N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase, and beta-glucuronidase were within the normal range. Aggregation and Ca2+ secretion induced by 5 U/ml thrombin were normal and were not changed in the presence of inhibitors of mitochondrial and glycogenolytic energy generation. Aggregation was also normal at 0.1 U/ml thrombin and was independent of these inhibitors, but Ca2+ secretion was greatly impaired when mitochondrial and glycogenolytic ATP resynthesis was abolished. These findings indicate that a severe reduction in HK activity causes insufficient acceleration of the glycolytic flux during stimulation with thrombin. This leads to impaired dense granule secretion in conditions where secretion depends on concurrent ATP resynthesis and glycolysis is rate limiting.