Glucosamine Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Glucosamine, including details on chondroitin sulfate, uses, effects, benefits, arthritis.

Synergistic platelet integrin signaling and factor XII activation in poly-N-acetyl glucosamine fiber-mediated hemostasis.

Fischer TH, Thatte HS, Nichols TC, Bender-Neal DE, Bellinger AD, Vournakis JN

Francis Owen Blood Research Laboratory, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 350 S. Old Fayetteville Rd., Chapel Hill, NC 27516, USA. tfischer@med.unc.edu

The polymer poly-N-acetylglucosamine (pGlcNAc) containing fiber material is becoming increasingly important as a topical agent for hemostasis at wound sites. The pGlcNAc polymeric fiber provides hemostasis through redundant mechanisms that include platelet activation for fibrin network formation. The research presented here better defines the mechanism for the effect of pGlcNAc containing fibers on platelet-mediated processes. Adsorption experiments demonstrated that pGlcNAc fibers tightly bind most major plasma proteins and a specific sub-set of platelet surface proteins, including the integrin beta(3) subunit (CD61) and the von Willebrand receptor GP1b (CD42b). The result of this interaction is a platelet-dependent acceleration of fibrin gel formation. Accelerated fibrin polymerization is sensitive to factor XII inhibition by corn trypsin inhibitor and integrin inactivation with integrilin. Confocal microscopy studies show that when platelet integrins contact plasma protein-saturated pGlcNAc fibers, an increase in intracellular free calcium for platelet activation occurs to drive surface expression of phosphatidyl serine (PS). Thus, a catalytic surface for thrombin generation and accelerated fibrin clot formation results from the interaction of platelets with pGlcNAc. These findings, when considered with the observation that pGlcNAc fibers also induce red blood cell agglutination and vasoconstriction, provides an explanation for the ability of the pGlcNAc material to provide hemostasis in a wide variety of clinical applications.

Published 29 April 2005 in Biomaterials, 26(27): 5433-43.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Glucosamine Research Today. All Rights Reserved.