Hypoxia alters the energy metabolism and aggregation of washed human platelets.

: Washed human platelets were incubated under hypoxic and normoxic conditions to investigate the influence of oxygen deprivation on energy metabolism and aggregation. The maximum aggregation rate, oxygen consumption, lactate production, and adenine nucleotide content were measured. Hypoxic incubation decreased the oxygen burst and maximum aggregation induced by thrombin, and accelerated anaerobic glycolysis. ATP and ADP levels were preserved, but the hypoxanthine level increased in the incubation medium and the platelet AMP level and adenylate energy charge decreased compared with normoxic incubation. Thus, anaerobic glycolysis failed to compensate for impaired oxidative phosphorylation during hypoxic incubation, suggesting that oxidative energy is essential for full platelet function.