Platelet mass cytometry: Optimization of sample, reagent, and analysis parameters

Abstract

Platelets mediate key biological processes, including hemostasis, immunity, and inflammation. Although platelets are often treated as a homogeneous cell population, they are known to be heterogeneous in size, age, surface receptor expression, and response to agonist stimulation, raising the possibility that distinct platelet subsets perform specialized functions and that such subsets may be altered in disease settings. Attempts to identify platelet subsets by flow cytometry have had limited success due in part to limits on the number of probes that can be used at the same time and due to the challenges of compensating for probes that have large spectral overlap. We recently reported a method to identify platelet subsets by mass cytometry using a panel of 14 metal-tagged antibodies directed at platelet surface markers. Here, we describe the technical considerations and best practices for platelet sample preparation, processing, and analysis by mass cytometry. Specifically, we show that anticoagulant choice alters platelet phenotype and function and that antibody cocktail storage and sample processing are critical for reproducibility. Additionally, we optimize sample density and instrument setup for maximal platelet transmission. Lastly, we demonstrate the importance of panel design and compensation and the use of clustering and dimension reduction to map platelet heterogeneity across resting and stimulated samples.