Epinephrine sensitizes human platelets in vivo and in vitro as studied by fibrinogen binding and P-selectin expression.

Epinephrine (Epi) infusion influences platelet activation markers in vivo, but in vitro studies have mainly examined supraphysiological Epi concentrations and have yielded conflicting results. In this study whole-blood flow-cytometric measurements of platelet fibrinogen binding and P-selectin expression were used to compare enhancement of ADP (0.1 to 10 mumol/L)-induced platelet activation by Epi infusion in vivo (0.1 and 0.4 nmol.kg-1.min-1) and by Epi in vitro (10 and 50 nmol/L) in nine healthy volunteers. ADP caused concentration-dependent increases in the percentage of platelets that bound fibrinogen (from 4.4 +/- 0.9% to 69.9 +/- 4.2%) and that expressed P-selectin (from 4.5 +/- 0.5% to 44.2 +/- 3.8%). Fibrinogen and P-selectin binding indices (FgBI and PSBI; calculated from mean fluorescence intensity and percentage of positive cells) also increased from 0.18 +/- 0.03 to 11.70 +/- 1.99 for FgBI and from 0.22 +/- 0.03 to 2.34 +/- 0.29 for PSBI. Epi concentration-dependently enhanced fibrinogen binding and P-selectin expression in vitro (by approximately 30% at the midportion of the ADP curve at 10 nmol/L Epi; P < .001 for both by ANOVAs). High-dose Epi infusion enhanced FgBI similarly and increased maximal P-selectin expression by 38%. Epi (50 nmol/L in vitro) enhanced platelet activation further, whether samples were taken with or without prior Epi infusion. Total expression of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa was unaffected by Epi infusion, but glycoprotein Ib expression per platelet was reduced (P < .05). These in vivo and in vitro effects of Epi on platelet responses to agonist stimulation indicate a prothrombotic potential for sympathoadrenal activation in humans.