Sequential potentiation and inhibition of PMN reactivity by maximally stimulated platelets

In a recent study, we showed that granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and supernatants from partially stimulated platelets undergoing selective alpha-granule release synergistically enhanced polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) response to N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP). The active factor released from platelet alpha-granules was identified as platelet factor four (PF4). In this study we investigate the joint effect on PMN reactivity of GM-CSF and supernatants from platelets maximally stimulated to release both alpha- and dense granule contents. These platelet supernatants enhanced PMN chemiluminescence (CL; a measure of the oxidative burst) during short incubations, whereas longer incubations led to the loss of this enhancement and the prevention of PMN priming by GM-CSF. The platelet-derived inhibitory factor was of low molecular weight, originated from the dense granule precursor(s), and its generation required the presence of PMN. When ATP/ADP were incubated with PMN at concentrations found in platelet-dense granules, they produced a similar biphasic effect on PMN reactivity (a potentiation followed by inhibition) as seen with the platelet supernatants. The inhibitory effect of these nucleotides coincided with their conversion to AMP. AMP per se had an immediate inhibitory effect on PMN response to fMLP and prevented PMN priming by GM-CSF. This study confirms that partially stimulated platelets enhance PMN reactivity. However, during maximal stimulation, nucleotides released from the platelet-dense granules are converted to AMP, which in turn can counteract the PMN priming effects of factors such as PF4 and GM-CSF.