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Relevance of platelet factor four (PF 4 ) plasma levels in multiple sclerosis
Author(s) -
Cananzi A.R.,
FerroMilone F.,
Grigoletto F.,
Toldo M.,
Meneghini F.,
Bortolon F.,
D'Andrea G.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1987.tb03550.x
Subject(s) - medicine , platelet , platelet factor 4 , prostacyclin , multiple sclerosis , basal (medicine) , aspirin , endocrinology , beta thromboglobulin , immunology , insulin
Abstract In order to study the role of platelets in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) we assessed, in a group of patients during a quiescent phase of the disease, the plasma levels of ß‐thromboglobulin (ß‐TG) and platelet factor four (PF 4 ) both in absence of treatment and during administration of aspirin (ASA) at the dose of 50 mg/daily. In the MS patients studied, the basal plasma levels of ß‐TG and PF 4 were significantly higher than in control subjects. The increase in the ß‐TG plasma levels occurred independently of the age, sex and severity of the disease, whereas the modification in the PF 4 plasma levels was significantly correlated with the severity of the disease. Administration to the patients of ASA, at the dose that does not affect prostacyclin production, determined a decrease of ß‐TG in 77% of the patients. Mean PF 4 plasma levels remained unchanged. These results suggest that PF 4 in the plasma of MS patients may originate not only from the platelets but also from the mast cells following platelet aggregating factor (PAF) stimulation and immunocomplex formation.