The Differentiation of Acid Phosphatases of Human Blood Platelets

Abstract

SummaryThe Acid Phosphatase was tested in human platelets and in the rat liver mitochondrial-lysosomal fraction with p-nitrophenylphosphate and β-glycerophosphate as substrates. In the platelets the following differences were found between the hydrolysis of these two substrates, whereas in rat liver no such differences were observed. 1. The relative rates of hydrolysis and the pH optima for both substrates are different (pH 4.6 for the β-glycerophosphatase, pH 6.0 for the p-nitrophenylphosphatase in the platelets). 2. The p-nitrophenylphosphatase of the platelets is inhibited by p-chlormercuribenzoate and N-ethylmaleimide, but not by fluoride or L + tartrate, whereas the contrary is true for the platelet β-glycerophosphatase and the rat liver activities. 3. The platelet p-nitrophenylphosphatase is rapidly inactivated by preincubation at 40-45° C for 15 min, the other phosphatases are much more heat-resistant. 4. Sucrose density gradient centrifugation of platelet homgenates showed a separation of the two platelet phosphatase activities, the p-nitrophenylphosphatase with its maximum at lower densities than the β-glycerophosphatase.It is concluded that in human platelets there are at least two different Acid Phosphatases. The β-glycerophosphatase probably represents the lysosomal (as compared to the rat liver enzyme) phosphatase whereas the p-nitrophenylphosphatase of the platelets is a different enzyme whose subcellular localization and functions are as yet unknown.