Summary
We report a strategy to generate by electron beam lithography high fidelity micropatterned
arrays to assess the interaction of single platelets with immobilised ligands. As
a proof-of-principle we functionalised the microarrays with platelet factor 4 (PF4)-heparin-IgG
complexes. We embedded biotinylated water-soluble quantum dots into polyethylene glycol
(PEG)-coated micropatterned arrays and functionalised them via streptavidin to bind biotinylated ligands, here biotinylated-PF4/heparin complexes.
The integrity of the PF4/heparin-complexes was shown by binding of anti-PF4/heparin
antibodies. Ligand density was quantified by immunofluorescence and immunogold antibody
labelling. Real-time calcium imaging was employed for read-out of single platelets
activated on micropatterned surfaces functionalised with PF4/heparin-IgG complexes.
With the smallest micropatterns (0.5x0.5 µm) we show that single platelets become
strongly activated by binding to surface-immobilised PF4/heparin-IgG, while on larger
micropatterns (10x10 µm), platelet aggregates formed. These findings that HIT antibodies
can cause platelet activation on microarrays illustrate how this novel method opens
new avenues to study platelet function at single cell level. Generating functionalized
microarray surfaces to which highly complex ligands can be bound and quantified has
the potential for platelet and other cell function assays integrated into high-throughput
microfluidic microdevices.
Keywords
Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia - platelet factor 4 - micropatterned arrays - electron
beam lithography - platelet activation