On the preservation of contractile proteins during storage of human platelets

A study has been undertaken to determine the rate at which stored platelets lose their ability to respond to stimuli and to establish whether this decrease in function could be ascribed to the storage-induced proteolysis of prominent platelet proteins observed by others. Platelet concentrates were stored at 4 degrees C and 25 degrees C for up to 14 days, and their ability to secrete and aggregate in response to appropriate stimuli was determined at 6, 96, and 192 hr after venipuncture. At each time point the protein complement of the platelets was also monitored by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to assess the extent of intracellular protein degradation. Platelets from concentrates stored at either temperature exhibited a decreased ability to respond to stimuli as storage time increased. After 8 days of storage at 4 degrees C and up to 9 days at 25 degrees C, no proteolysis of major platelet proteins was observed; however, complete loss of platelet function was observed. This strongly indicates that a decrease in platelet function should not be causally linked to degraded contractile-structural proteins and that extending the functional life of platelets during storage is still an attainable goal since proteolysis is not the inevitable result of short-term storage.