Human Fc gamma receptors: stable inter-donor variation in quantitative expression on platelets correlates with functional responses.

Evidence has recently been presented that a 40,000 dalton membrane sialoglycoprotein (p40) shared by monocytes and granulocytes serves as the human platelet receptor for aggregated IgG. We now report that the platelets of normal donors exhibit stable quantitative differences in the expression of this receptor molecule, as determined by flow cytometry using fluorescent staining with murine monoclonal antibody to p40 (mab IV.3). These inter-donor differences were reproducible on repeated testing over at least 4 mo. In concurrent assays, the binding of mab IV.3 to each donor's platelets was highly correlated with the binding of heat-aggregated human IgG, also assayed by flow cytometry. The biological relevance of this quantitative variation in IV.3 binding is suggested by its reproducible correlation with platelet responsiveness to aggregated IgG measured by aggregometry. Such stable quantitative variation in platelet Fc receptor expression among individual humans could contribute to differences in severity of certain pathologic processes initiated by IgG-containing immune complexes.