Please click here to obtain permission to reproduce this image.

Click on image to view larger version.



Figure 2 Membrane fluidity assays: A significant increase in membrane fluidity is evident in pyrene fluorescence emission spectra recorded from labeled mononuclear cells (MC) after treatment with thrombin (A). Patients with unstable angina (UA) demonstrated a significantly altered membrane fluidity profile (B) on comparison with cells obtained from normal individuals (p < 0.01), patients with stable angina (p < 0.001), and patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) (p < 0.05). Thrombin treatment resulted in a significant change in the measured membrane fluidity of cells obtained from normal individuals (p < 0.05), but did not significantly alter the fluidity of cells obtained from patients with UA (C). Saline-treated cells (striped bars) obtained from patients with UA show a similar profile to those thrombin-treated cells (black bars) obtained from normal individuals. Data represent the mean Iexc/Imon ratios ± SE. Cells were grouped according to the Canadian Cardiovascular Society guidelines. *p ≤ 0.05.