Comparison of the GPVI inhibitors losartan and honokiol

<p>Losartan and honokiol are small molecules which have been described to inhibit aggregation of platelets by collagen. Losartan has been proposed to block clustering of GPVI but not to affect binding of collagen. Honokiol has been reported to bind directly to GPVI but only at a concentration that is three orders of magnitude higher than that needed for inhibition of aggregation. The mechanism of action of both inhibitors is so far unclear. In the present study, we confirm the inhibitory effects of both agents on platelet aggregation by collagen and show that both also block the aggregation induced by the activation of CLEC-2 or the low affinity immune receptor FcγRIIa at similar concentrations. For GPVI and CLEC-2, this inhibition is associated with a reduction in protein tyrosine phosphorylation of multiple proteins including Syk. In contrast, on a collagen surface, spreading of platelets and clustering of GPVI (measured by single molecule localisation microscopy) was not altered by losartan or honokiol. Furthermore, in flow whole-blood, both inhibitors suppressed the formation of multi-layered platelet thrombi at arteriolar shear rates at concentrations that hardly affect collagen-induced platelet aggregation in platelet rich plasma. Together, these results demonstrate that losartan and honokiol have multiple effects on platelets which should be considered in the use of these compounds as anti-platelet agents.</p

Immobilized fibrinogen activates human platelets through GPVI

GPVI, a major platelet activation receptor for collagen and fibrin, is considered as a particularly promising safe antithrombotic target. In this study, we show that human GPVI signals upon platelet adhesion to fibrinogen. Full spreading of human platelets on fibrinogen is abolished in platelets from GPVI-deficient patients suggesting that fibrinogen activates platelets through GPVI. While mouse platelets fail to spread on fibrinogen, human-GPVI-transgenic mouse platelets show full spreading and increased Ca2+ signalling through the tyrosine kinase Syk. Direct binding of fibrinogen to human GPVI was shown by surface plasmon resonance and by increased adhesion of human GPVI-transfected Rbl-2H3 cells to fibrinogen relative to mock-transfected cells. Blockade of human GPVI with the Fab of the monoclonal antibody 9O12 impairs platelet aggregation on preformed platelet aggregates in flowing blood independent of collagen and fibrin exposure. These results demonstrate that human GPVI binds to immobilized fibrinogen and show that this contributes to platelet spreading and platelet aggregation under flow

L'AMPKalpha1 régule la polymérisation de l'actine, la formation des lamellipodes et la rétraction du clou plaquettaire en réponse à la thrombine

Platelet activation requires sweeping morphological changes, supported by contraction and remodelling of platelet actin cytoskeleton. In epithelial and endothelial cells, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) controls actin cytoskeleton organization through the phosphorylation of cytoskeletal targets, namely myosin regulatory light chains (MLC), cofilin and the vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP), extending the role of AMPK beyond metabolism. In this thesis, we hypothesized that AMPK was activated in thrombin-stimulated platelets and played a role in platelet secretion, aggregation and clot retraction, by regulating polymerization and/or organization of actin cytoskeleton through the phosphorylation of MLC, cofilin and VASP. We show that human platelets expressed exclusively the AMPKα1 isoform. In human purified platelets, thrombin led to a transient activation of AMPKα1 and to phosphorylation of its substrate acetyl coA carboxylase (ACC). Platelets isolated from mice lacking AMPKα1 exhibited reduced aggregation and secretion in response to thrombin, associated with a defect in ACC, MLC, cofilin and VASP phosphorylation. These changes were associated with an abrogation of thrombin-dependent F-actin formation. Moreover, the percentage of platelets able to form lamellipodia after immobilization on fibrinogen-coated coverslips and stimulation by thrombin, was significantly reduced in the absence of AMPKα1, indicating an altered cytoskeleton reorganization during spreading. More importantly, clot retraction was slower and less effective in KO platelets. Conclusion: AMPKα1 plays a critical role in platelet function in response to thrombin through the phosphorylation of cytoskeletal targets and the subsequent regulation of cytoskeleton organization -dependent processes. This conclusion is supported by clinical data showing that AMPK is also activated in vivo, in platelets of patients undergoing cardiac surgery and therefore submitted to a thrombotic process designed to counter bleeding.(BIFA - Sciences biomédicales et pharmaceutiques) -- UCL, 201

0382: AMPKalpha1 regulates actin polymerization, lamellipodia formation and clot retraction, in thrombin-stimulated platelets

BackgroundPlatelet activation requires sweeping morphological changes, supported by contraction and remodelling of platelet actin cytoskeleton. In epithelial and endothelial cells, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) controls actin cytoskeleton organization through the phorphorylation of cytoskeletal targets, namely myosin regulatory light chains (MLC), cofilin and the vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP), extending the role of AMPK beyond metabolism.ObjectivesIn this study, we hypothesized that AMPK was activated in thrombin-stimulated platelets and played a role in platelet secretion, aggregation and clot retraction, by regulating polymerization and/or organization of actin cytoskeleton through the phosphorylation of MLC, cofilin and VASP.ResultsHuman platelets expressed exclusively the AMPKalpha1 isoform. In human purified platelets, thrombin led to a transient activation of AMPKalpha1 and to phosphorylation of its bona fide substrate, acetyl coA carboxylase (ACC). Platelets isolated from mice lacking AMPKalpha1 exhibited reduced aggregation and secretion response to thrombin, associated with a defect in ACC, MLC, cofilin and VASP phosphorylation. These changes were associated with an abrogration of thrombin-dependent F-actin formation. Moreover, the percentage of platelets able to form lamellipodia after immobilization on fibrinogen-coated coverslips and stimulation by thrombin, was significantly reduced in the absence of AMPKalpha1, indicating an altered cytoskeleton reorganization during spreading. More importantly, clot retraction was slower and less effective in KO platelets.ConclusionsAMPKalpha1 plays a critical role in platelet function in response to thrombin through the phrophorylation of cytoskeletal targets and the subsequent regulation of cytoskeleton organization-dependent processes

CAMKKβ/AMPK-α1 pathway regulates phosphorylation of cytoskeletal targets in thrombin-stimulated human platelets

Background. Platelet activation requires sweeping morphological changes, supported by contraction and remodelling of platelet actin cytoskeleton. In various other cell types, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) controls the phosphorylation state of cytoskeletal targets. Objective. We hypothesized that AMPK is activated during platelet aggregation and contributes to the control of cytoskeletal targets. Results. We found that AMPK-α1 was mainly activated by thrombin and not by other platelet agonists in purified human platelets. Thrombin activated AMPK-α1 ex vivo via a Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase kinase β (CAMKKβ)-dependent pathway. Pharmacological inhibition of CAMKKβ blocked thrombin-induced platelet aggregation and counteracted thrombin-induced phosphorylation of several cytoskeletal proteins, namely, regulatory myosin light chains (MLC), cofilin and vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP), three key elements involved in actin cytoskeleton contraction and polymerization. Platelets isolated from mice lacking AMPK-α1 exhibited reduced aggregation in response to thrombin, associated with a defect in MLC, cofilin and VASP phosphorylation and actin polymerization. More importantly, we show for the first time that AMPK pathway was activated in platelets of patients undergoing major cardiac surgery, in a heparin-sensitive manner. Conclusion. AMPK-α1 is activated by thrombin in human platelets. It controls phosphorylation of key cytoskeletal targets and actin cytoskeleton remodelling during platelet aggregation

AMPK-ACC signaling modulates platelet phospholipids and potentiates thrombus formation.

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) alpha1 is activated in platelets on thrombin or collagen stimulation, and as a consequence, phosphorylates and inhibits acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC). Because ACC is crucial for the synthesis of fatty acids, which are essential for platelet activation, we hypothesized that this enzyme plays a central regulatory role in platelet function. To investigate this, we used a double knock-in (DKI) mouse model in which the AMPK phosphorylation sites Ser79 on ACC1 and Ser212 on ACC2 were mutated to prevent AMPK signaling to ACC. Suppression of ACC phosphorylation promoted injury-induced arterial thrombosis in vivo and enhanced thrombus growth ex vivo on collagen-coated surfaces under flow. After collagen stimulation, loss of AMPK-ACC signaling was associated with amplified thromboxane generation and dense granule secretion. ACC DKI platelets had increased arachidonic acid-containing phosphatidylethanolamine plasmalogen lipids. In conclusion, AMPK-ACC signaling is coupled to the control of thrombosis by specifically modulating thromboxane and granule release in response to collagen. It appears to achieve this by increasing platelet phospholipid content required for the generation of arachidonic acid, a key mediator of platelet activation

Platelet Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase Phosphorylation A Risk Stratification Marker That Reveals Platelet-Lipid Interplay in Coronary Artery Disease Patients

Adenosine monophosphate–activated protein kinase (AMPK) acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) signaling is activated in platelets by atherogenic lipids, particularly by oxidized low-density lipoproteins, through a CD36-dependent pathway. More interestingly, increased platelet AMPK–induced ACC phosphorylation is associated with the severity of coronary artery calcification as well as acute coronary events in coronary artery disease patients. Therefore, AMPK–induced ACC phosphorylation is a potential marker for risk stratification in suspected coronary artery disease patients. The inhibition of ACC resulting from its phosphorylation impacts platelet lipid content by down-regulating triglycerides, which in turn may affect platelet function