Identification of Donors of CD36-Deficient Platelets Among Individuals on the NIH Campus

Plasma histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG) binds to platelets in the presence of zinc (1). This binding is totally blocked by a monoclonal antibody directed against platelet membrane CD36. Therefore, CD36 is assumed to carry the platelet binding site for HRG (2). Because CD36 also has a variety of other ligands, including polyanionic lipids, it is also possible that it contains the binding site for heparin (also polyanionic) and might be involved in the pathogenesis of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. Demonstrating absent HRG or heparin binding to platelets lacking CD36 would confirm that the binding sites for either or both of these ligands are located on this membrane protein. Because 3% to 11% of healthy Japanese are reported to lack CD36 on their platelets, this population is a practical source of cells for examining the physiologic role(s) for CD36. It has also been reported that 2.4% of African Americans and 4% of Taiwanese lack this protein on their platelets. Therefore, we will recruit blood donors from the Japanese, African American, and Taiwanese community on the NIH campus. Their platelets will be tested for the presence of CD36. Recruitment will be closed after two individuals have been identified whose platelets lack CD36 and who are willing to donate 30 cc of blood on 4 or 5 subsequent occasions for binding studies with radiolabeled HRG and heparin.