Activities of the enzymes that hydrolyze adenine nucleotides in platelets from multiple sclerosis patients.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common chronic disabling neurological disease in young adults. Alterations in platelet function have been observed in MS; however, the mechanism and the relevance of this blood cell disorder with regard to MS pathogenesis are not yet understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate activities of ectonucleoside thiphosphate diphosphohydrolase (NTPDase, CD39), ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase (E-NPP), 5'-nucleotidase and adenosine deaminase (ADA) in platelets from patients with the relapsing-remitting form of MS (RRMS), as well as to analyze platelet aggregation and expression of NTPDase. The results obtained show that NTPDase, 5'-nucleotidase, E-NPP and ADA activities were decreased in platelets of RRMS patients when compared with the control group (p < 0.05). In addition, NTPDase expression in platelets was also decreased in these patients (p < 0.05); however, no differences were observed in platelet aggregation between RRMS patients and the control group. Our results suggest that the alterations in NTPDase, E-NPP, 5'-nucleotidase and ADA may have contributed to the alterations in platelet function in MS by altering the levels of nucleotides and nucleosides in the circulation.