Activation of circulating platelets by subendothelial collagen is an essential event in vascular hemostasis. In human platelets, two membrane glycoprotein (GP) abnormalities, integrin alpha2 beta1 deficiency and GPVI deficiency, have been reported to result in severe hyporesponsiveness to fibrillar collagen. Although it has been well established that integrin alpha2 beta1, also known as the GPIa-IIa complex, functions as a primary platelet adhesion receptor for collagen, the mechanism by which GPVI contributes to collagen-platelet interaction has been ill defined to date. However, our recent observation that GPVI cross-linking couples to cyclic AMP-insensitive activation of c-Src and Syk tyrosine kinases suggested a potential role for GPVI in regulating protein-tyrosine phosphorylation by collagen (Ichinohe, T., Takayama, H., Ezumi, Y., Yanagi, S., Yamamura, H., and Okuma, M. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 28029-28036). To further investigate this hypothesis, here we examined the collagen-induced protein-tyrosine phosphorylation in GPVI-deficient platelets expressing normal amounts of alpha2 beta1. In response to collagen, these platelets exhibited alpha2 beta1-dependent c-Src activation accompanied by tyrosine phosphorylation of several substrates including cortactin. In contrast, severe defects were observed in collagen-stimulated Syk activation and tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase C-gamma2, Vav, and focal adhesion kinase, implicating a specific requirement of GPVI for recruiting these molecules to signaling cascades evoked by collagen-platelet interaction.

Platelet glycoprotein VI (GPVI), a 62kD membrane protein, has been identified as one of the platelet receptors for collagen, since GPVI-deficient platelets exhibit abnormal responses to collagen and an abnormal bleeding tendency. We report a female patient with a mild bleeding history whose platelets expressed 10% GPVI of normal platelets. Shape change, aggregation and ATP release of the patient's platelets were completely absent in response to 1-5 micrograms/ml collagen but present normally in response to ADP and Ca2+ ionophore A23187. Adhesion of the patient's platelets to coated collagen was mildly affected (40-60% of normal platelets) in spite of only 10% expression of GPVI. Flow cytometrical studies revealed that the patient's platelets expressed normal amounts of the GPIa/IIa complex. These results suggest that platelet GPVI is less involved in adhesion to collagen than shape change and aggregation induced by collagen.

Key Points• Clot retraction of sphingomyelin-rich raftdepleted platelets from sphingomyelin synthase knockout mouse is delayed.• Translocation of fibrin to sphingomyelin-rich rafts in platelet membrane is induced by thrombin in the presence of FXIII crosslinking activity.Membrane rafts are spatially and functionally heterogenous in the cell membrane. We observed that lysenin-positive sphingomyelin (SM)-rich rafts are identified histochemically in the central region of adhered platelets where fibrin and myosin are colocalized on activation by thrombin. The clot retraction of SM-depleted platelets from SM synthase knockout mouse was delayed significantly, suggesting that platelet SM-rich rafts are involved in clot retraction. We found that fibrin converted by thrombin translocated immediately in platelet detergent-resistant membrane (DRM) rafts but that from Glanzmann's thrombasthenic platelets failed. The fibrinogen g-chain C-terminal (residues 144-411) fusion protein translocated to platelet DRM rafts on thrombin activation, but its mutant that was replaced by A398A399 at factor XIII crosslinking sites (Q398Q399) was inhibited. Furthermore, fibrin translocation to DRM rafts was impaired in factor XIII A subunitdeficient mouse platelets, which show impaired clot retraction. In the cytoplasm, myosin translocated concomitantly with fibrin translocation into the DRM raft of thrombin-stimulated platelets. Furthermore, the disruption of SM-rich rafts by methyl-b-cyclodextrin impaired myosin activation and clot retraction. Thus, we propose that clot retraction takes place in SM-rich rafts where a fibrin-aIIbb3-myosin complex is formed as a primary axis to promote platelet contraction. (Blood. 2013;122(19):3340-3348) IntroductionMembrane rafts are dynamic assemblies of sphingolipids, cholesterol, and proteins that can be stabilized into platforms involved in the regulation of a number of vital cellular processes. 1 The important role of rafts at the cell surface may be their function in signal transduction. A number of studies provide considerable evidence that rafts are integral to the regulation of immune and neuronal signaling. Membrane rafts are also involved in hemostasis and thrombosis. Among blood cells, platelets are critical for maintaining the integrity of the blood coagulation system. Platelet rafts are critical membrane domains in physiological responses such as adhesion and aggregation. 2 The localization of the adhesion receptor glycoprotein (GP)Ib-IX-V complex to membrane rafts is required for platelet adhesion to the vessel wall by binding the von Willebrand factor. 3 Membrane rafts are also required for platelet aggregation via the collagen receptor GPVI, 4 the adenosine 59-diphosphate (ADP) receptor P2Y12, 5 the Fcg receptor FcgRIIa, 6 and the C-type lectinlike receptor CLEC-2.7 Detergent-resistant membrane (DRM) rafts of platelets show round vesicles of heterogeneous sizes ranging from 20 to 500 nm, which are enriched in CD36 (GPIV). 8,9 Recent reports have demonstrated that membrane rafts are ...

The individual contributions of glycoprotein Ib (GPIb) and the seven transmembrane domain receptor (STDR) to increases in platelet [Ca2+]i induced by alpha-thrombin or the tethered ligand peptide (TLP; SFLLRNPNDKYEPF) have been determined in control platelets, in platelets where the thrombin binding site on GPIb was blocked with the monoclonal antibodies TM60 and LJ-Ib10, in platelets where access of thrombin to the STDR was blocked by polyclonal antipeptide antibodies, and in Bernard-Soulier platelets which constitutively lack GPIb. Curve-fitting analyses (LIGAND) showed that binding of PPACK-thrombin and alpha-thrombin to the moderate-affinity site was not detected in the best-fit model in the presence of anti-STDR antibodies although with alpha-thrombin there was also decreased binding at the high-affinity site. Conversely, TM60 blocked binding of alpha-thrombin to the high-affinity site but also decreased binding at the moderate affinity site. Separately, either TM60 or anti-TNA (150 micrograms/mL) reduced thrombin (0.5 nM)-induced elevations in [Ca2+]i to 50% of control values, but Ca2+ elevations were essentially abrogated (4.2 +/- 5%) when the two were added in combination. [Ca2+]i dose-response curves for alpha-thrombin were curvilinear and were only 50% of controls in the presence of anti-GPIb or anti-STDR antibodies at up to 10 nM alpha-thrombin, with their greatest sensitivity being below 2 nM. With Bernard-Soulier platelets, changes in [Ca2+]i were not detectable at < or = 0.5 nM alpha-thrombin but were also 50% of controls at 5-10 nM alpha-thrombin. [Ca2+]i responses to TLP (1-100 microM) of antibody-blocked platelets were identical to those of controls whereas responses were approximately 50% of controls in Bernard-Soulier platelets. The rate of increase in [Ca2+]i in controls was twice that seen in antibody-blocked platelets and about 5-fold greater than in Bernard-Soulier platelets. These results demonstrate that both GPIb and the STDR are required to ensure the optimal rate and extent of platelet activation over a range of alpha-thrombin concentrations (0.3-10 nM) and that the STDR corresponds to the previously described moderate-affinity thrombin receptor.

Factor XIII (FXIII) is a plasma transglutaminase that cross-links fibrin monomers, ␣ 2 -plasmin inhibitor, and so forth. Congenital FXIII deficiency causes lifelong bleeding symptoms. To understand the molecular pathology of FXIII deficiency in vivo, its knockout mice have been functionally analyzed. Because prolonged bleeding times, a sign of defective/abnormal primary hemostasis, were commonly observed in 2 separate lines of FXIII A subunit (FXIII-A) knockout mice, a possible role or roles of FXIII in platelet-related function was investigated in the present study. Although platelet aggregation induced by adenosine diphosphate or collagen was normal, clot retraction (CR) was lost in the platelet-rich plasma (PRP) of FXIII-A knockout mice. IntroductionCoagulation factor XIII (FXIII) is a pro-enzyme of plasma transglutaminase (TGase) consisting of 2 enzymatic A subunits (FXIII-A) and 2 noncatalytic B subunits, and plays a critical role in the generation of a stable hemostatic plug. 1-3 FXIII catalyzes intermolecular cross-linking reactions between fibrin monomers, ␣ 2 -plasmin inhibitor, fibronectin, etc. These reactions increase the mechanical strength of the fibrin clot and its resistance to proteolytic degradation, and enhance the assembly of the extracellular matrix.Congenital FXIII deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive disorder, the cases of most of which are caused by defects in the FXIII-A gene. 3 A lifelong bleeding tendency, abnormal wound healing, and recurrent spontaneous miscarriage are common symptoms of FXIII deficiency. 1,4 FXIII-A exists extracellularly in plasma as well as intracellularly as a cytosolic protein in megakaryocytes/platelets and monocytes/macrophages, although the function(s) of intracellular FXIII-A remain(s) unknown. 5,6 In particular, platelets cause clot retraction (CR) by retracting extended filopodia along fibrin strands. 7 There have been conflicting reports about the effects of FXIII deficiency on CR; investigators reported that the absence of FXIII abolished, 7-9 did not affect, 10,11 or rather enhanced 12 CR in patients with congenital FXIII deficiency. However, platelet aggregation induced by various agents is uniformly normal in patients with congenital FXIII deficiency. 8,9,13,14 To understand the precise molecular pathology of FXIII deficiency in vivo, FXIII-A knockout (KO) mice have been analyzed. FXIII-A KO mice demonstrated a severe bleeding tendency. 15 We also reported that FXIII-A KO mice developed severe uterine bleeding, resulting in spontaneous miscarriage in females, and male-specific intrathoracic hemorrhage as well as excessive cardiac fibrosis. 16,17 Because bleeding times in FXIII-A KO mice were longer than in wild-type, 15,18 we hypothesized that FXIII-A KO mice might have a defective platelet-related function(s). Accordingly, we have explored the contribution of FXIII to the process of CR in the present study. Methods AnimalWild-type C57BL/6J mice were obtained from Japan SLC Inc. Genetargeted mice of FXIII-A were generated as previously reported, ...

Human monoclonal antibodies (HuMAbs) prepared from patients with viral infections could provide information on human epitopes important for the development of vaccines as well as potential therapeutic applications. Through the fusion of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from a total of five influenza-vaccinated volunteers, with newly developed murine-human chimera fusion partner cells, named SPYMEG, we obtained 10 hybridoma clones stably producing anti-influenza virus antibodies: one for influenza A H1N1, four for influenza A H3N2 and five for influenza B. Surprisingly, most of the HuMAbs showed broad reactivity within subtype and four (two for H3N2 and two for B) showed broad neutralizing ability. Importantly, epitope mapping revealed that the two broad neutralizing antibodies to H3N2 derived from different donors recognized the same epitope located underneath the receptor-binding site of the hemagglutinin globular region that is highly conserved among H3N2 strains.

It has recently been shown that the Naka antigen, which is absent in 3% to 11% of Japanese blood donors, is expressed on platelet glycoprotein IV (GPIV; CD36) (Tomiyama et al, BLOOD, 75:684, 1990). In the present studies, flow cytometry was used to distinguish differences in the reactivity of Naka+ and Naka- platelets with both OKM5, a monoclonal antibody that recognizes an epitope on GPIV, and with polyclonal anti- GPIV antibody. OKM5 was also used to screen 871 platelet concentrates prepared from healthy US blood donors. Three of these showed markedly deficient binding of 125I-OKM5 or an incidence of 0.34%. Two of these donors were re-accessed and showed less than 1% binding of 125I-OKM5 as compared with 10,300 +/- 1,500 binding sites per platelet in controls (n = 4). Platelets from these two US donors were radiolabeled (125I, 3H) and compared with control platelets and with platelets from Japanese Naka+ and Naka- donors by crossed immunoelectrophoresis, protein blots, immunoprecipitation, and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. GPIV could not be detected by any of these techniques in the Naka- platelets nor in the donors whose platelets showed deficient binding of OKM5. These results suggest that GPIV functions as an isoantigen rather than an alloantigen in immunizing Naka- platelet recipients. This is the first report of the absence of a major platelet membrane GP in healthy blood donors.

Background: Separate monitoring of the cleavage products of different amyloid ␤ precursor protein (APP) variants may provide useful information. Results: We found that soluble APP770 (sAPP770) is released from inflamed endothelial cells and activated platelets as judged by ELISA. Conclusion: sAPP770 is an indicator for endothelial and platelet dysfunctions. Significance: How sAPP770 is released in vivo has been shown.