Abstract
One of the putative functions of pregnancy-specific proteins is the inhibition of platelet aggregation. This function may facilitate the free flow of blood through the uterine microvas-culature during pregnancy. Uteroglobin (UG) is a small molecular weight (15K) protein first discovered in the rabbit uterus during early pregnancy. The present investigation was undertaken to determine the effect of UG on platelet aggregation. Gel-filtered platelets (GFP) or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) from human volunteers and/or from rabbits were tested in an aggregometer with various inducers of aggregation including thrombin, ADP, collagen and arachidonic acid. Similar aggregation trials were carried out after preincubatlng GFP or PRP with various concentrations of UG. These results suggest that uteroglobin specifically prevents throrabin mediated platelet aggregation in both rabbits and humans. This effect may be due to phospholipase A2 inhibition.
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