The bacterium Streptococcus agalactiae is an etiologic agent in the pathogenesis of endocarditis in humans. FbsA, a fibrinogen-binding protein produced by this pathogen, is considered an important virulence factor. In the present study we provide evidence that S agalactiae clinical isolates bearing FbsA attach to fibrinogen and elicit a fibrinogen-dependent aggregation of platelets. Mutants of ...

There is evidence that tumors may stimulate platelet aggregation, causing release of thromboxane A2. Thromboxane A2 may potentiate tumor metastasis by stimulating tumor cell growth and proliferation and by enhancing platelet-tumor cell aggregate formation. Despite potential significance of thromboxane A2 in tumor metastasis, agents which inhibit thromboxane A2 synthesis have not been uniformly ...

Purpose To investigate the association of clinical outcomes with platelet function-guided modification in antiplatelet therapy in patients with ischemic stroke. Results Among 812 patients, 223 patients had aspirin nonresponse, 204 patients was modified in antiplatelet therapy after platelet function testing. Mean follow-up period was 4.8 ± 1.7 years (ranged from 1 to 6.4 years). The incidence...

Platelet aggregation was studied in a patient with familial hypercholesterolemia immediately after apheresis selective for low-density lipoprotein (LDL), a lipid-lowering procedure. This treatment reduced plasmatic levels of total and LDL-cholesterol, apo B, and triglyceride. Increased platelet aggregation was reduced immediately after the apheresis in whole blood as well as in platelet-rich pl...

Platelets release insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) from granules upon activation. We have investigated the regulation of IGF-1 in Gi-dependent pathways leading to Akt activation and the role of IGF-1 in platelet activation. IGF-1 alone failed to induce platelet aggregation, but IGF-1 potentiated 2-MeSADP–induced platelet aggregation in a concentrationdependent manner. IGF-1 triggered platel...

Platelet aggregation around migrating cancer cells protects them against the activity of natural killer cells (NKCs). The inability of immune system to response results in the progression of malignant diseases. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of resveratrol (3, 4', 5-trihydroxystilbene) on platelet aggregation and NKCs activity. Experiments were designed to evaluate the platelet...

Coronary artery disease constitutes a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Since platelets are involved in the development of atherosclerosis, the use of anti-platelet agents reduces the incidence and severity of this disease. Both policosanol, a mixture of primary high molecular weight aliphatic alcohols purified from sugar cane wax, and grape seed extract (GSE), which mainly cont...

Abnormal plasma lipoproteins in patients with liver disease are associated with an increase in erythrocyte cholesterol concentration and a raised erythrocyte cholesteroVphosphoEpid molar ratio. We hypothesized that their platelets would also have an increased cholesteroVphospholipid ratio and that this might affect aggregation in vitro. Platelet aggregation by adrenaline and ADP was measured in...

The bacterium Streptococcus agalactiae is an etiologic agent in the pathogenesis of endocarditis in humans. FbsA, a fibrinogen-binding protein produced by this pathogen, is considered an important virulence factor. In the present study we provide evidence that S agalactiae clinical isolates bearing FbsA attach to fibrinogen and elicit a fibrinogen-dependent aggregation of platelets. Mutants of ...

A variety of platelet function tests were performed in patients with four forms of obstructive cerebrovascular disease (CVD); transient ischemic attacks (TIA), reversible ischemic neurological deficit (RIND), cerebral infarct, and cerebral embolism of cardiac source in rheumatic valvular heart disease (RVHD). Platelet studies included platelet aggregation induced by ADP and ristocetin, spontane...