Platelet-activating factor is a general membrane perturbant. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is, at physiological (nanomolar) concentrations, a potent mediator of inflammation and coagulation. At pharmacological (micromolar) concentrations, PAF induces a variety of effects in diverse tissues. Here we show that PAF at micromolar concentrations is a membrane perturbant. Micromolar PAF alters the properties of channels formed by gramicidin A, and at concentrations greater than or equal to 4 microM disrupts the barrier properties of the host lipid bilayer. PAF thus can act as a detergent and non-specifically alter the behavior of membranes and membrane proteins. This may provide an explanation for some of the effects of PAF seen at high concentrations in vitro.

publication date

  • December 11, 1989

Research

keywords

  • Cell Membrane
  • Platelet Activating Factor

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0024801794

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1016/0005-2736(89)90464-1

PubMed ID

  • 2480815

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 987

issue

  • 1