Matthew L. Bilodeau

PAR4, but not PAR1, signals human platelet aggregation via Ca2+ mobilization and synergistic P2Y12 receptor activation

Regulation of platelet activation plays a central role in hemostasis and pathophysiological processes such as coronary artery disease. Thrombin is the most potent activator of platelets. Human platelets express two thrombin receptors, PAR1 and PAR4, both of which signal platelet activation. Evidence is lacking on the mechanism by which PAR1 and PAR4 may differentially signal platelet aggregation. Here we show that at the relatively high concentration of agonist most likely found at the site of a local thrombus, dual inhibition of the P2Y12 receptor and calcium mobilization result in a complete inhibition of PAR4-induced aggregation, while having no effect on either thrombin or PAR1-mediated platelet aggregation. Both PAR1- and PAR4mediated aggregation are independent of calcium mobilization. Furthermore, we show that P2Y12 receptor activation is not required for protease-activated receptor-mediated aggregation at higher agonist concentrations and is only partially required for Rap1 as well as GPIIbIIIa activation. P2Y12 receptor inhibitors clinically in use such as clopidogrel are postulated to decrease platelet aggregation through partial inhibition of PAR1 signaling. Our data, however, indicate that at high local concentrations of thrombin, it is the signaling through PAR4 rather than PAR1 that may be regulated through purinergic feedback. Thus, our data identify an intra-platelet mechanism that may function as a future site for therapeutic intervention.

Protease-activated receptors differentially regulate human platelet activation through a phosphatidic acid-dependent pathway.

Pathological conditions such as coronary artery disease are clinically controlled via therapeutic regulation of platelet activity. Thrombin, through protease-activated receptor (PAR) 1 and PAR4, plays a central role in regulation of human platelet function in that it is known to be the most potent activator of human platelets. Currently, direct thrombin inhibitors used to block platelet activation result in unwanted side effects of excessive bleeding. An alternative therapeutic strategy would be to inhibit PAR-mediated intracellular platelet signaling pathways. To elucidate the best target, we are studying differences between the two platelet thrombin receptors, PAR1 and PAR4, in mediating thrombins action. In this study, we show that platelet activation by PAR1-activating peptide (PAR1-AP) requires a phospholipase D (PLD)-mediated phosphatidic acid (PA) signaling pathway. We show that this PAR1-specific PA-mediated effect is not regulated through differential granule secretion after PAR-induced platelet activation. Perturbation of this signaling pathway via inhibition of lipid phosphate phosphatase-1 (LPP-1) by propranolol or inhibition of the phosphatidylcholine-derived phosphatidic acid (PA) formation by PLD with a primary alcohol significantly attenuated platelet activation by PAR1-AP. Platelet activation by thrombin or PAR4-AP was insensitive to these inhibitors. Furthermore, these inhibitors significantly attenuated activation of Rap1 after stimulation by PAR1-AP but not thrombin or PAR4-AP. Because PA metabolites such as diacylglycerol play an important role in intracellular signaling, identifying crucial differences in PA regulation of PAR-induced platelet activation may lead to a greater understanding of the role of PAR1 versus PAR4 in progression of thrombosis.

Cyclic AMP Signaling Functions as a Bimodal Switch in Sympathoadrenal Cell Development in Cultured Primary Neural Crest Cells

ABSTRACT Cells of the vertebrate neural crest (crest cells) are an invaluable model system to address cell fate specification. Crest cells are amenable to tissue culture, and they differentiate to a variety of neuronal and nonneuronal cell types. Earlier studies have determined that bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP-2, -4, and -7) and agents that elevate intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) stimulate the development of the sympathoadrenal (SA, adrenergic) lineage in neural crest cultures. To investigate whether interactive mechanisms between signaling pathways influence crest cell differentiation, we characterized the combinatorial effects of BMP-2 and cAMP-elevating agents on the development of quail trunk neural crest cells in primary culture. We report that the cAMP signaling pathway modulates both positive and negative signals influencing the development of SA cells. Specifically, we show that moderate activation of cAMP signaling promotes, in synergy with BMP-2, SA cell development and the expression of the SA lineage-determining gene Phox2a. By contrast, robust activation of cAMP signaling opposes, even in the presence of BMP-2, SA cell development and the expression of the SA lineage-determining ASH-1 and Phox2 genes. We conclude that cAMP signaling acts as a bimodal regulator of SA cell development in neural crest cultures.

Regulation of Protease-Activated Receptor (PAR) 1 and PAR4 Signaling in Human Platelets by Compartmentalized Cyclic Nucleotide Actions

Thrombin potently regulates human platelets by the G protein-coupled receptors protease-activated receptor (PAR) 1 and PAR4. Platelet activation by thrombin and other agonists is broadly inhibited by prostacyclin and nitric oxide acting through adenylyl and guanylyl cyclases to elevate cAMP and cGMP levels, respectively. Using forskolin and YC-1 [3-(5′-hydroxymethyl-2′-furyl)-1-benzylindazole] to selectively activate the adenylyl and guanylyl cyclases, respectively, and the membrane-permeable analogs N6,2′-O-dibutyryladenosine-3′-5′-cAMP (dibutyryl-cAMP) and 8-(4-parachlorophenylthoi)-cGMP (8-pCPT-cGMP), we sought to identify key antiplatelet steps for cyclic nucleotide actions in blocking platelet activation by PAR1 versus PAR4. Platelet aggregation by PAR1 or PAR4 was inhibited with similar EC50 of 1.2 to 2.1 μM forskolin, 31 to 33 μM YC-1, 57 to 150 μM dibutyryl-cAMP, and 220 to 410 μM 8-pCPT-cGMP. There was a marked left shift in the inhibitory potencies of forskolin and YC-1 for α-granule release and glycoprotein IIbIIIa/integrin αIIbβ3 activation (i.e., EC50 of 1–60 and 40–1300 nM, respectively) that was not observed for dibutyryl-cAMP and 8-pCPT-cGMP (i.e., EC50 of 200–600 and 40–140 μM, respectively). This inhibition was essentially instantaneous, and measurements of cyclic nucleotide levels and kinase activities support a model of compartmentation involving the cyclic nucleotide effectors and regulators and the key molecular targets for this platelet inhibition. The different sensitivities of PAR1 and PAR4 to inhibition of calcium mobilization and dense granule release identify key antiplatelet steps for cyclic nucleotide actions and are consistent with the signaling models for these receptors. Specifically, PAR4 inhibition depends on the regulation of both calcium mobilization and dense granule release, and PAR1 inhibition depends predominantly on the regulation of dense granule release.

Adenosine signaling promotes neuronal, catecholaminergic differentiation of primary neural crest cells and CNS-derived CAD cells.

In neural crest (NC) cultures cAMP signaling is an instructive signal in catecholaminergic, sympathoadrenal cell development. However, the extracellular signals activating the cAMP pathway during NC cell development have not been identified. We demonstrate that in avian NC cultures, evidenced by tyrosine hydroxylase expression and catecholamine biosynthesis, adenosine and not adrenergic signaling, together with BMP2, promotes sympathoadrenal cell development. In NC cultures, addition of the adenosine receptor agonist NECA in the presence of BMP2 promotes sympathoadrenal cell development, whereas the antagonist CGS 15943 or the adenosine degrading enzyme adenosine deaminase (ADA) suppresses TH expression. Importantly, NC cells express A2A and A2B receptors which couple with Gsalpha increasing intracellular cAMP. Employing the CNS-derived catecholaminergic CAD cell line, we also demonstrate that neuronal differentiation mediated by serum withdrawal is further enhanced by treatment with IBMX, a cAMP-elevating agent, or the adenosine receptor agonist NECA, acting via cAMP. By contrast, the adenosine receptor antagonist CGS 15943 or the adenosine degrading enzyme ADA inhibits CAD cell neuronal differentiation mediated by serum withdrawal. These results support that adenosine is a physiological signal in neuronal differentiation of the CNS-derived catecholaminergic CAD cell line and suggest that adenosine signaling is involved in NC cell development in vivo.

Differentiation-induced alterations in cyclic AMP signaling in the Cath.a differentiated (CAD) neuronal cell line.

Regulation of intracellular cyclic AMP is critical to the modulation of many cellular activities, including cellular differentiation. Moreover, morphological differentiation has been linked to subsequent alterations in the cAMP signaling pathway in various cellular models. The current study was designed to explore the mechanism for the previously reported enhancement of adenylate cyclase activity in Cath.a differentiated cells following differentiation. Differentiation of Cath.a differentiated cells stably expressing the D2L dopamine receptor markedly potentiated both forskolin‐ and A2‐adenosine receptor‐stimulated cAMP accumulation. This enhancement was accompanied by a twofold increase in adenylate cyclase 6 (AC6) expression and a dramatic loss in the expression of AC9. The ability of Ca2+ to inhibit drug‐stimulated cAMP accumulation was enhanced following differentiation, as was D2L dopamine receptor‐mediated inhibition of Gαs‐stimulated cAMP accumulation. Differentiation altered basal and drug‐stimulated phosphorylation of the cAMP‐response element‐binding protein, which was independent of changes in protein kinase A expression. The current data suggest that differentiation of the neuronal cell model, Cath.a differentiated cells induces significant alterations in the expression and function of both the proximal and distal portions of the cAMP signaling pathway and may impact cellular operations dependent upon this pathway.

DIFFERENTIAL EXPRESSION OF SYMPATHOADRENAL LINEAGE–DETERMINING GENES AND PHENOTYPIC MARKERS IN CULTURED PRIMARY NEURAL CREST CELLS

SummaryBone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) promotes the development of primary neural crest cells grown in tissue culture to the sympathoadrenal (SA) lineage. Independent studies have characterized the expression patterns of SA-lineage genes in developing chicken embryo; however, studies using cultured primary neural crest cells have characterized only the expression patterns of the catecholaminergic markers, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and catecholamines (CAs). To further explore the molecular mechanisms that control SA-cell development using the in vitro model system, it is crucial to define the expression patterns of both the catecholaminergic markers and the genes regulating SA-lineage determination. Accordingly, we defined, in the absence and presence of BMP-2, the temporal expression patterns of TH and CA, the SA lineage-determining genes ASH-1, Phox2a, and Phox2b, the GATA-2 gene, and the pan-neuronal SCG10 gene. Comparison of these data with the reported temporal and spatial patterns of expression in vivo demonstrate that the inductive steps of SA-lineage determination, including the specification of neurotransmitter identity and neuronal fate, are recapitulated in the neural-crest culture system.