Objective: To investigate the effect of platelet membrane glycoprotein(GP) Ⅰ a gene polymorphism in the pathogenesis of unstable angina pectoris (UAP) in Chinese people. Methods: Collagen type Ⅰ -induced platelet aggregation was measured in 33healthy subjects in vitro. Plasma level of α-granule membrane protein (GMP-140) was measured in both the above 33 healthy subjects during fasting and 35 patients with recent onset effort anina during rest onset within 24 h after hospitalization. Furthermore, the platelet membrane GP Ⅰ a gene 807C/T polymorphism was checked in all subjects with polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific primers(PCR-SSP)technique. Results: The lag time before 30% platelet aggregation was significantly longer in healthy subjects with CC genotype than with TC genotype ( P ＜0.01). However, there was no significant difference in the maximal platelet aggregation between healthy subjects with the above two genotypes. Plasma level of GMP-140 was significantly higher in TC genotypic patients with recent onset effort angina than in CC genotypic patients with the same type of UAP( P ＜ 0.05) and healthy subjects ( P ＜ 0.01), furthermore, there was also significant difference between the latter two groups( P ＜ 0.05). Conclusion: The rapid initiation of collagen-induced platelet aggregation may be associated with platelet membrane GP Ⅰ a T807 allele, which may play an important role in the pathogenesis of UAP.