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. 1978 Sep;75(9):4514–4518. doi: 10.1073/pnas.75.9.4514

Venom coagglutinin: an activator of platelet aggregation dependent on von Willebrand factor.

M S Read, R W Shermer, K M Brinkhous
PMCID: PMC336146  PMID: 309134

Abstract

A platelet-aggregating activity was found in many snake venoms, predominantly those of the genus Bothrops, that is apparent only in the presence of the platelet-aggregating von Willebrand factor of plasma. It is designated "venom coagglutinin." The coagglutinin can be largely separated from the thrombin-like enzyme of the venoms by ion-exchange chromatography. The venom factor acts on formaldehyde-fixed platelets and is effective with decalcified, heparinized, and afibrinogenemic plasmas but not with severe von Willebrand disease plasmas or with normal plasmas in which the von Willebrand factor has been neutralized by specific antibodies. Use of this coagglutinin permits the assay of von Willebrand factor without the many disadvantages of the ristocetin test. The coagglutinin is active with human, dog, pig, and bovine plasmas and with platelets of any one of these species. This broad-spectrum activity without regard to species contrasts with the ristocetin-resistance of many combinations of plasma and platelets from various species. The assay provides a procedure for studying human, porcine, and canine von Willebrand disease. The lack of species specificity of the coagglutinin suggests that it may be a universal activator of the von Willebrand factor-platelet reaction.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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