Stereochemistry- and concentration-dependent effects of phosphatidylserine enrichment on platelet function

Platelets are small (1–2 μm in diameter), circulating anuclear cell fragments with important roles in hemostasis and thrombosis that provide an excellent platform for studying the role of membrane components in cellular communication. Platelets use several forms of communication including exocytosis of three distinct granule populations, formation of bioactive lipid mediators, and shape change (allowing for adhesion). This work explores the role of stereochemistry and concentration of exogenous phosphatidylserine (PS) on platelet exocytosis and adhesion. PS, most commonly found in the phosphatidyl-L-serine (L-PS) form, is exposed on the outer leaflet of the cell membrane after the platelet is activated. Knowledge about the impact of exogenous phosphatidylserine on cell-to-cell communication is limited (particularly concentration and stereochemistry effects). This study found that platelets incubated in L-PS or phosphatidyl-D-serine (D-PS) are enriched to the same extent with their respective incubated PS. All levels of L-PS enrichment also showed an increase in platelet cholesterol, but only the 50 μM D-PS incubation showed an increase in cholesterol. The uptake of D-PS induced the secretion of granules and manufactured platelet activating factor (PAF) in otherwise unstimulated platelets. The uptake of L-PS had a greater impact on platelet stimulation by decreasing both the amount of δ-granule secretion and the amount of PAF that was manufactured.