Activity of platelet alpha-6-fucosyltransferase is inversely related to blood platelet concentration.

The activity of serum alpha-6-fucosyltransferase, a platelet derived enzyme, determined in sera of 22 normal individuals and 86 patients with various disorders was positively correlated with platelet counts. When the enzyme activity in 1 microliters serum was calculated per 1000 of platelets in blood (coefficient F/P) an inverse correlation became evident in that F/P was proportionally the higher the lower was platelet count in blood. The F/P values were in a good agreement with the results of direct assays of enzyme activities in isolated platelets. Neither granulocytes, lymphocytes nor red cells significantly contributed to serum enzyme activity though granulocytes enhanced the thrombin-induced enzyme release from platelets. In platelets separated by centrifugation in density gradients the enzyme was shown to be present in platelets of intermediate and high density but missing from the light ones. It is suggested that alpha-6-fucosyltransferase of platelets may be a marker of the ploidy level of megakaryocytes.