The activity of the selenoenzyme glutathione peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.9) was determined in platelets of 15 patients with acute myocardial infarction and 13 control subjects. The platelets of the patients had significantly lower activities of the enzyme (P(t) greater than 0.99). This may be related to the pathogenesis of the disease.
We determined the elements Cu, Fe, K, and Zn in normal human platelets by neutron activation analysis. The platelets were obtained from seven donors and treated as described in Part I. The elemental composition is expressed on a wet-weight basis for plasma-free platelets. The following results were obtained (+/- values are 1 SD); "Pure" platelets: trapped plasma = 378 +/- 35 mg/g, water content = 715 +/- 15 mg/g, mean weight of the single platelet (by two different methods) = 9.9 +/- 1.1 pg and 11.2 +/- 1.7 pg, K = 4.39 +/- 1.06 mg/g, Zn = 49.23 +/- 10.97 microgram/g, Fe = 12.28 +/- 2.94 microgram/g, and Cu = 1.39 +/- 0.25 microgram/g. "Impure" platelets: trapped plasma = 349 +/- 31 mg/g, water content = 736 +/- 12 mg/g, K = 3.26 +/- 0.78 mg/g, Zn = 35.71 +/- 7.99 microgram/g, Fe = 17.11 +/- 5.10 microgram/g, and Cu = 1.39 +/- 0.21 microgram/g. To our knowledge, no data on Fe and Cu in platelets have hitherto been reported.
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