Contractile protein studies on platelets from patients with idiopathic scoliosis.

Measurements of total proteins, myosin, actin, actin-binding protein, and ATPase activity of myosin were examined in platelets from patients with idiopathic scoliosis and from healthy individuals. Abnormalities in the distribution of total and contractile proteins were revealed after fractionations. The insoluble fraction of the patients' platelets had a higher, and the cytosol fraction had a lower than normal protein content. Similar differences were observed in the specific activity of myosin ATPase. These findings show that in patients with idiopathic scoliosis platelet defects exist and that their study might be useful in research of the disease.