Analysis of Gas6 in human platelets and plasma

I Balogh, S Hafizi, J Stenhoff, K Hansson… - … , and vascular biology, 2005 - Am Heart Assoc
I Balogh, S Hafizi, J Stenhoff, K Hansson, B Dahlbäck
Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology, 2005Am Heart Assoc
Objective—Gas6 is a member of the vitamin K-dependent protein family. Gas6-deficient
mice were found to be resistant to thrombosis because of defective platelet function. Mouse
Gas6 was demonstrated to be present in platelets and found to be involved in platelet
aggregation. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Gas6 in human
platelets and plasma and determine its role in platelet function. Methods and Results—The
presence of Gas6 in human platelets and plasma was analyzed using sensitive …
Objective— Gas6 is a member of the vitamin K-dependent protein family. Gas6-deficient mice were found to be resistant to thrombosis because of defective platelet function. Mouse Gas6 was demonstrated to be present in platelets and found to be involved in platelet aggregation. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Gas6 in human platelets and plasma and determine its role in platelet function.
Methods and Results— The presence of Gas6 in human platelets and plasma was analyzed using sensitive immunologic methods. Mass spectrometry and ELISA were used to identify and quantify Gas6 in plasma. Gas6 was demonstrated to be present in human plasma, at a concentration determined to be 13 to 23 ng/mL (0.16 to 0.28 nM). Furthermore, plasma Gas6 levels were found to be lower in patients administered with warfarin. However, Gas6 was undetectable in human platelets.
Conclusions— This is the first report to identify and quantify Gas6 in human plasma. However, Gas6 protein was not detected in human platelets, suggesting that any potential platelet-specific function could be because of Gas6 from the circulation. These findings open up new directions regarding the role of Gas6 in normal and pathophysiological situations such as inflammation, autoimmune disease, thrombosis and arteriosclerosis.
Am Heart Assoc