Viral Hepatitis
Copyright ©2007 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jul 21, 2007; 13(27): 3677-3683
Published online Jul 21, 2007. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i27.3677
Platelet aggregation is affected by nitrosothiols in patients with chronic hepatitis: In vivo and in vitro studies
A Federico, A Filippelli, M Falciani, C Tuccillo, A Tiso, A Floreani, R Naccarato, F Rossi, C Del Vecchio Blanco, C Loguercio
A Federico, C Tuccillo, A Tiso, C Del Vecchio Blanco, C Loguercio, Inter-University Research Centre on Foods, Nutrition and Gastrointestinal Tract, Gastroenterology School, 2nd University of Naples, Italy
A Filippelli, M Falciani, F Rossi, Department of Experimental Medicine, 2nd University of Naples, Italy
A Floreani, R Naccarato, Department of Surgical and Gastroenterological Sciences, University of Padua, Italy
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Alessandro Federico, Inter-University Research Centre on Foods, Nutrition and Gastrointestinal Tract, Gastroenterology School, 2nd University of Naples, Via Alcide De Gasperi 80, 84018 Scafati, Italy. alessandro.federico@unina2.it
Telephone: +39-815-666718 Fax: +39-815-666837
Received: February 5, 2007
Revised: March 15, 2007
Accepted: March 21, 2007
Published online: July 21, 2007
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the relationship among the number of platelets and plasma levels of S-nitrosothiols (S-NO), nitrite, total non-protein SH (NPSH), glutathione (GSH), cysteine (CYS), malondialdehyde (MDA), 4-hydroxininenal (4HNE), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) and interleukin (IL)-6 in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CH).

METHODS: In vitro the aggregation of platelets derived from controls and CH patients was evaluated before and after the addition of adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and collagen, both in basal conditions and after incubation with nitrosoglutathione (GSNO).

RESULTS: In vivo, S-NO plasma levels increased significantly in CH patients and they were significantly directly correlated with platelet numbers. Patients with platelet counts < 150 000/μL, had a smaller increase in S-NO, lower levels of GSH, CYS, NPSH, TNFα, and IL-6, and higher levels of nitrite, MDA, and 4-HNE relative to those of patients with platelet counts > 150 000/μL. In vitro, the ADP and collagen aggregation time was increased in platelets from patients and not from controls; in addition, platelets from CH patients but not from controls also showed a latency time after exposure to collagen.

CONCLUSION: The incubation of platelets with GSNO improved the percentage aggregation and abolished the latency time.

Keywords: Liver disease; Function of platelets; Hepatitis C; Oxidative stress; Anti-aggregant