Cholesterol sulfate - A new adhesive molecule for platelets

Background-Cholesterol 3-sulfate is present on a variety of cells and in hu man LP)LI and it has been found in atherosclerotic lesions of human aorta. Its precise biological role has not yet been described. Methods and Results-In this study, eve investigated the interaction of plat elets with cholesterol sulfate, Platelets adhered in a concentration-depend ent and saturable manner to cholesterol sulfate but did not adhere to chole sterol cholesterol acetate, estrone sulfate, or dehydroepiandrosterone sulf ate, suggesting that the specificity of this interaction is determined not only by the cholesterol moiety but also by the sulfate group, This adhesion did not increase after platelet activation, and it was not cation-dependen t, Soluble cholesterol sulfate inhibited adhesion in a concentration-depend ent manner. However, antibodies against glycoprotein Ib glycoprotein IIb/lI Ia, CD36, P-selectin, von Willebrand factor, or thrombospondin had no signi ficant effect on platelet adhesion to cholesterol sulfate, Perfusion of who le blood in a parallel-plate flow chamber resulted in the rapid and progres sive adhesion of platelets to cholesterol sulfate but not to cholesterol ac etate or estrone sulfate. Conclusions-Cholesterol sulfate supports platelet adhesion and may be one o f the factors determining the prothrombotic potential of atherosclerotic le sions.