Shoji Kume

Effects of genistein, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, on platelet functions. Genistein attenuates thrombin-induced Ca2+ mobilization in human platelets by affecting polyphosphoinositide turnover.

Genistein, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, had no or only slight inhibitory effects on platelet aggregation or serotonin release induced by thrombin, while intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) elevation was substantially attenuated. It also inhibited the cyclooxygenase pathway, but this effect was not directly related to the suppressive effect of genistein on [Ca2+]i elevation. In order to clarify the mechanism by which genistein suppresses Ca2+ mobilization, its effect was examined on inositol phospholipid metabolism. The production of inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate was inhibited by genistein in a dose-dependent manner, while 47 kDa protein phosphorylation or phosphatidic acid formation was not affected, suggesting that genistein does not inhibit phospholipase C activity. Pretreatment of unstimulated platelets with genistein increased the amount of phosphatidylinositol-4-monophosphate [PI(4)P], while that of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2] was reduced. Thrombin stimulation of genistein-pretreated cells intensified this tendency, i.e. a further increase in the amount of PI(4)P and a decrease in the amount of PI(4,5)P2 in an inversely proportional manner. Taken together, these findings imply that genistein acted at the step of PI(4)P 5-kinase which produces PI(4,5)P2 from PI(4)P. Protein tyrosine phosphorylation induced by thrombin was not affected by genistein, suggesting that the inhibitory effect of genistein on polyphosphoinositides was unrelated to tyrosine kinase inhibition.

Potentiation of neutrophil function by recombinant DNA-produced interleukin 1a.

The effect of interleukin 1a (IL‐1a) produced by E. coli‐derived recombinant DNA was evaluated on various parameters of human neutrophil function. IL‐1a alone stimulated neutrophil hydrogen peroxide production in a dose‐dependent manner, but the rate was much lower than that of opsonized zymosan. IL‐1a induced release of specific granule contents, but not azurophilic granule contents. Cytochalasin B did not augment the rate of release. IL‐1a was chemotactic for neutrophils at the optimal concentrations of 0.1‐10 ng/ml. Pretreatment of the neutrophils with IL‐1a augmented neutrophil oxygen radical production induced by opsonized zymosan, and this synergistic effect was evident as early as 10 min after IL‐1a was added to the neutrophil culture. Phagocytosis of opsonized particles by neutrophils, and degranulation induced by opsonized zymosan were also enhanced by IL‐1a in a dose‐dependent manner. The present results suggest that IL‐1a is weak as a direct activator of neutrophil function and that IL‐1a in vivo may augment the response of neutrophils to other stimulators such as foreign bodies.

Mastoparan, a wasp venom, activates platelets via pertussis toxin-sensitive GTP-binding proteins.

Mastoparan induced limited release of serotonin from intact human platelets, while neither intracellular calcium ion elevation nor arachidonic acid mobilization was observed. Cytolysis induced by mastoparan was negligible in the concentration range that induced serotonin release. In digitonin-permeabilized cells, mastoparan induced Ca(++)-independent release of serotonin and Ca(++)-dependent arachidonic acid release. Both serotonin release and arachidonic acid release were reduced by pertussis toxin, suggesting that platelet activation induced by mastoparan is mediated by GTP-binding proteins.

Protein tyrosine phosphorylation in human platelets induced by interaction between glycoprotein Ib and von Willebrand factor.

The interaction between von Willebrand factor (vWF) and glycoprotein Ib (GPIb) induced by ristocetin or botrocetin resulted in associated platelet aggregation, protein tyrosine phosphorylation (PTP) of a 64 kDa protein, as detected by a monoclonal antibody against phosphotyrosine (PY-20), and intracellular Ca2+ elevation that is largely dependent upon Ca2+ influx in human platelets. It is of interest that 75-80, 97 and 125 kDa proteins which are strongly tyrosine-phosphorylated in platelet activation induced by thrombin and other agonists were not detected. Neither vWF nor a coaggregating agent (ristocetin or botrocetin) alone induced aggregation, [Ca2+]i elevation or the 64 kDa PTP. NMC-4, an antibody which inhibits both ristocetin- or botrocetin-induced vWF binding to GPIb, abolished the appearance of the 64 kDa PTP as well as other responses, suggesting that it is specifically induced by the GPIb-vWF interaction. Aspirin, or ONO-3708, a competitive inhibitor of thromboxane A2, did not modify the 64 kDa PTP, while [Ca2+]i elevation was moderately suppressed. Depletion of extracellular Ca2+ or RGD peptides suppressed neither the 64 kDa PTP nor aggregation. H-7, a protein kinase C inhibitor, did not inhibit the 64 kDa PTP, while staurosporine, a potent protein kinase inhibitor, inhibited the 64 kDa PTP and Ca2+ influx, but not aggregation, in a dose-dependent manner. It is suggested that the 64 kDa PTP is associated with platelet aggregation induced by the interaction between GPIb and vWF.

Phosphorylation of Myosin Light Chain in Resting Platelets From NIDDM Patients Is Enhanced: Correlation With Spontaneous Aggregation

Platelet function in patients with NIDDM is enhanced. We have found that spontaneous aggregation (i.e., the formation of small-sized aggregates in the absence of agonist stimulation) occurs at a high rate in platelets from NIDDM patients. We then investigated basal myosin light chain 20 (MLC) phosphorylation, which plays a key role in platelet shape change and aggregation, using a monoclonal antibody against a phosphorylation site (serine 19 residue) in the MLC molecule in platelets from these patients. Standard calibration curves obtained from purified MLC or the phosphorylated form of myosin light chain 20 (MLC-P) were linear within the range of 0–150 ng for MLC and 0–3 ng for MLC-P. The amount of MLC or MLC-P in platelets was estimated, and basal MLC phosphorylation was calculated. Platelets were obtained from 9 young healthy control subjects, 13 age- and sex-matched nondiabetic control subjects, and 13 patients with NIDDM. The basal MLC phosphorylation in platelets was significantly higher in the NIDDM patients than in the control subjects, irrespective of age. These findings suggest that platelets from NIDDM patients are activated in vivo. Platelets obtained from NIDDM patients generated spontaneous aggregation, the degree of which was significantly higher than that in control subjects. Platelet spontaneous aggregation correlated well with basal MLC phosphorylation. These findings suggest that increases in basal MLC in platelets may be one factor leading to hyperaggregability of platelets in these patients.

Factors that affect the size of platelet aggregates in epinephrine-induced activation: A study using the particle counting method based upon light scattering

Platelet aggregate size was determined with a newly-developed platelet aggregometer, PA-100 (KOWA), which can quantitatively evaluate the size and number of platelet aggregates by means of the particle counting method based upon light scattering. Epinephrine-induced platelet aggregation consists of two phases, the former characterized by the formation of small-sized aggregates (less than 100 cells), which is followed by the phase of large aggregate formation with concomitant decrease in the number of small aggregates. These findings suggest that small aggregates fuse to form large aggregates. Effects of various inhibitors and antibodies directed against platelet membrane glycoproteins were evaluated on the size of platelet aggregates induced by epinephrine. Cyclooxygenase inhibitors, thromboxane A2 receptor antagonists, and a Na+/H+ exchanger inhibitor (ethylisopropylamiloride) inhibited the formation of large aggregates (more than 100 cells) but not that of small aggregates. Cytochalasin B, which interferes with microfilaments, suppressed large aggregate formation, whereas taxol, which reacts with microtubules, had no effects. Anti-GPIIb/IIIa monoclonal antibody (MoAb) inhibited both the formation of small and large platelet aggregates, while antibodies directed against GPIb, thrombospondin, P-selectin, or PECAM-1 had no effects on platelet aggregate formation. These findings, taken together, suggest that intracellular alkalinization, thromboxane A2 formation and microfilament rearrangement are prerequisites for large platelet aggregate formation. GPIIb/IIIa is involved in the formation of small as well as large aggregates, but a membrane glycoprotein(s) responsible for the transition of small aggregates into large aggregates awaits to be determined.

CETP is a determinant of serum LDL-cholesterol but not HDL-cholesterol in healthy Japanese

Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) is one of the factors that regulate plasma levels of HDL-cholesterol. To identify the factors that may regulate CETP activity, and to determine to what extent CETP is correlated with physiologic concentrations of lipoprotein, we performed an epidemiologic study in 586 healthy volunteers (317 males and 269 females mean age 52.2 +/- 10.9 years). CETP activity in these subjects was 192.96 +/- 48.73 (mean +/- S.D.) nmol/ml/h and distributed to a wide range (60-450 nmol/ml/h). Using multiple regression analysis, we found significant positive correlations between CETP activity and LDL-cholesterol (P < 0.03), apolipoprotein (apo) E (P < 0.005) and LCAT activity (P < 0.001). CETP activities showed significant negative correlation with apo A-I (P < 0.03). However, CETP activity showed no significant correlation either with HDL cholesterol or with apo B. One-way layout analysis of variance showed that alcohol drinking and cigarette smoking significantly reduced CETP activity, but there was no significant association between CETP activity and body mass index. Although CETP activities were significantly higher in females than in males (P < 0.001), multiple regression analysis showed no correlation between CETP activity and age in either the males or the females. Our results suggest that CETP activity regulates the concentration of apo A-I and LDL-cholesterol, and that such activity may be influenced by gender, alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking.

The role of apoE in inhibitory effects of apoE-rich HDL on platelet function

Apolipoprotein E‐ (ApoE‐) rich high‐density lipoprotein (HDL), which was prepared from the bound fraction of normolipemic volunteers on heparin‐Sepharose and from a hyperalphalipoproteinemic patient, potently inhibited aggregation of human platelets in a dose‐dependent fashion. Dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine liposome with apoE (apoE · DMPC) also inhibited platelet aggregation, and incubation of washed platelets with apoE · DMPC resulted in the release of cholesterol into the supernatant in a time and dose‐dependent manner. These results suggest that apoE plays a major role in the inhibitory effect of apoE‐rich HDL in platelet function, presumably due to the release of cholesterol from the plasma membrane.

Quantitative measurement of various 5-HT receptor antagonists on platelet activation induced by serotonin.

The effects of S2-serotonergic receptor antagonists, ketanserin, MCI-9042, and one of its major metabolite, M-1, were evaluated on human platelet activation induced by serotonin. A newly developed method for detecting particles in suspensions was used to assess serotonin-induced platelet aggregation. Serotonin added to platelets in plasma induced transient formation of small aggregates but not that of large ones. All the three antagonists in a dose-dependent manner suppressed serotonin-induced platelet aggregation. The ID50 values for ketanserin, MCI-9042, and M-1 are 10 nM, 0.6 microM, and 40 nM, respectively. The effects of these antagonists were also evaluated on [Ca+2]i elevation and shape change, the measurement of which does not require the presence of plasma proteins. These antagonists effectively inhibited [Ca+2]i elevation and shape change induced by serotonin. The ID50 value for MCI-9042 was approximately 1/10 for platelet aggregation. These findings suggest that MCI-9042 tightly binds to plasma proteins with resultant reduction in overall potency. The ID50 values obtained in this study are essentially equivalent to those reported for S2-serotonergic receptor binding in rabbit platelets, suggesting that these agents are also potent antagonists serotonin-induced activation of human platelets.

Phosphatase inhibitors suppress Ca2+ influx induced by receptor-mediated intracellular Ca2+ store depletion in human platelets

The effects of three phosphatase inhibitors including okadaic acid, calyculin A and tautomycin were evaluated on platelet Ca2+ mobilization. Calyculin A and tautomycin at appropriate concentrations appeared to have a selective inhibitory effect on thrombin-induced Ca2+ influx, but not on [Ca2+]i release from intracellular Ca2+ storage sites. In contrast, pretreatment with okadaic acid at concentrations that effectively lowered Ca2+ influx also suppressed Ca2+ release from intracellular Ca2+ stores. In a system that specifically evaluates the effects of agents on Ca2+ influx induced by the Ca(2+)-depleted state of intracellular Ca2+ storage sites, the three phosphatase inhibitors attenuated Ca2+ influx in a dose dependent manner and showed complete inhibition at appropriate concentrations. These findings suggest that protein phosphorylation/dephosphorylation plays an important role in mediating signals to open Ca2+ channels when Ca2+ depletion in intracellular Ca2+ stores is caused by thrombin. In contrast, Ca2+ influx induced by thapsigargin, a Ca(2+)-ATPase inhibitor, was only partially suppressed by pretreatment with each of the three phosphatase inhibitors. Based on these findings, we suggest that the Ca(2+)-depleted state of intracellular Ca2+ stores by thapsigargin induces the opening of Ca2+ channels via phosphatase inhibitor-insensitive pathways. All the phosphatase inhibitors, at the highest concentrations tested in the present study, only partially inhibited Mn2+ entry induced by thrombin. These findings suggest that there are at least two types of divalent ion channels on platelet plasma membranes and that one of them, that preferentially allows Mn2+ entry, is resistant to the inhibitory effects of phosphatase inhibitors.