We found that gestosis is associated with platelet hypersensitivity to ADP. Cell P2X1 receptors exhibited a positive cooperative response to ADP (EC(50)=10.88+/-3.70 nM, Hill constant n=2.59+/-0.50 rel. units). Cooperative binding of ADP to platelet P2X1 receptors was also observed during incubation of cells from pregnant women with isosorbide dinitrate.