calcimycin and phenylalanyl-prolyl-arginine-chloromethyl-ketone

Platelet-derived microparticles (MP) are reported to express both pro- and anticoagulant activities. Nevertheless, their functional significance has remained unresolved. The present study monitored the generation and fate of MP in an experimental model of thrombosis with costimulation of platelets by collagen and thrombin. When minimally anticoagulated (0.5 micromol/L PPACK) blood was perfused over immobilized fibrillar type I collagen in a flow chamber at a low shear rate (300 s(-1)), endogenous thrombin was generated, as evidenced by thrombin-antithrombin III complex. In contrast to full anticoagulation 150 micromol/L PPACK) and the absence of collagen, large platelet aggregates and fibrin ensued during perfusions over collagen in the presence of thrombin. In these thrombi, MP, defined as GPIIbIIIa- and P-selectin-positive vesicles (<1 micron), were found to align fibrin in immunofluorescence and scanning immunoelectron microscopy. Moreover, in sections of embolectomized thromboemboli from patients GPIIbIIIa- and P-selectin-positive material compatible with MP was detected in a fibrin strand-like pattern. In vitro binding studies showed that MP bound to fibrin and acted there as procoagulants. In summary, we show that MP generated during thrombus formation associate with local fibrin. This adhesive function fibrin could imply a sustained modulatory role for MP in evolving thrombi.

Topics: Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones; Amino Acid Sequence; Biomarkers; Blood Coagulation; Blood Platelets; Calcimycin; Calcium; Collagen; Fibrin; Fibrinogen; Humans; Ionophores; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Molecular Sequence Data; Oligopeptides; P-Selectin; Perfusion; Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex; Thrombin; Thrombosis; von Willebrand Factor

Myocardial ischemia inhibits endothelium-dependent relaxation stimulated by the coagulant peptide, thrombin. To investigate whether activation of endogenous thrombin contributed to this reduction in relaxant sensitivity, the effects of pretreatment of dogs with the coumarin anticoagulant, brodifacoum, were studied. Experiments were performed in both normal coronary vasculature and coronary vasculature exposed to 90 min of myocardial ischemia, with or without 60 min of subsequent reperfusion. Ischemia was induced in the left anterior descending artery (LAD); nonischemic vessels from the left circumflex (LCX) artery of the same animals were used as control. Thrombin caused dose-dependent relaxation in isolated LCX preconstricted with prostaglandin F2 alpha (Emax of 89.1 +/- 2.33%). Relaxation was reduced by 90 min of ischemia (Emax of 27.5 +/- 8.0%; p less than 0.05), and further reduced after subsequent reperfusion (Emax of 8.7 +/- 8.7%). However, maximum relaxations to acetylcholine, calcimycin, and isoproterenol were unchanged after ischemia (Emax greater than 90% in all groups). Brodifacoum had no effect on thrombin-induced relaxation in control vessels (Emax of 83.0 +/- 3.5%), or on relaxation in response to acetylcholine, calcimycin, or isoproterenol (Emax greater than 90%). In contrast, brodifacoum markedly reduced thrombin-induced relaxation after ischemia (Emax of 3.3 +/- 3.3%; p less than 0.05) yet significantly preserved the relaxant response to thrombin after ischemia and reperfusion (Emax of 36.6 +/- 4.3%). Infusion of the thrombin inhibitor, D-phenylalanyl-L-prolyl-L-arginine chloromethyl ketone (PPACK), during ischemia and reperfusion also preserved in part the relaxant response induced by thrombin (Emax of 30.0 +/- 5.1%; p less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: 4-Hydroxycoumarins; Acetylcholine; Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones; Animals; Blood Coagulation; Calcimycin; Coronary Disease; Dinoprost; Dogs; Endothelium, Vascular; In Vitro Techniques; Isoproterenol; Male; Muscle Relaxation; Nitric Oxide; Thrombin