Integrins are critical in thrombosis and hemostasis1. Antagonists of the platelet integrin αIIbβ3 are potent anti-thrombotic drugs, but also have the life-threatening adverse effect of bleeding2,3. It is thus desirable to develop new antagonists that do not cause bleeding. Integrins transmit signals bidirectionally4,5. Inside-out signaling activates integrins via a talin-dependent mechanism6,7. Integrin ligation mediates thrombus formation and outside-in signaling8,9, which requires Gα13 and greatly expands thrombi. Here we show that Gα13 and talin bind to mutually exclusive, but distinct sites within the integrin β3 cytoplasmic domain in opposing waves. The first talin binding wave mediates inside-out signaling and also “ligand-induced integrin activation”, but is not required for outside-in signaling. Integrin ligation induces transient talin dissociation and Gα13 binding to an ExE motif, which selectively mediates outside-in signaling and platelet spreading. The second talin binding wave is associated with clot retraction. An ExE motif-based inhibitor of Gα13-integrin interaction selectively abolishes outside-in signaling without affecting integrin ligation, and suppresses occlusive arterial thrombosis without affecting bleeding time. Thus, we have discovered a novel mechanism for the directional switch of integrin signaling and, based on this mechanism, we designed a potent new anti-thrombotic that does not cause bleeding.
One of the mechanisms by which PI3 kinase can regulate platelet function is through phosphorylation of downstream substrates, including glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3)α and GSK3β. Platelet activation results in the phosphorylation of an N-terminal serine residue in GSK3α (Ser21) and GSK3β(Ser9), which competitively inhibits substrate phosphorylation. However, the role of phosphorylation of these paralogs is still largely unknown. Here, we employed GSK3α/β phosphorylation-resistant mouse models to explore the role of this inhibitory phosphorylation in regulating platelet activation. Expression of phosphorylation-resistant GSK3α/β reduced thrombin-mediated platelet aggregation, integrin αIIbβ3 activation, and α-granule secretion, whereas platelet responses to the GPVI agonist collagen-related peptide (CRP-XL) were significantly enhanced. GSK3 single knock-in lines revealed that this divergence is due to differential roles of GSK3α and GSK3β phosphorylation in regulating platelet function. Expression of phosphorylation-resistant GSK3α resulted in enhanced GPVI-mediated platelet activation, whereas expression of phosphorylation-resistant GSK3β resulted in a reduction in PAR-mediated platelet activation and impaired in vitro thrombus formation under flow. Interestingly, the latter was normalised in double GSK3α/β KI mice, indicating that GSK3α KI can compensate for the impairment in thrombosis caused by GSK3β KI. In conclusion, our data indicate that GSK3α and GSK3β have differential roles in regulating platelet function.
Platelets, small hemostatic blood cells, are derived from megakaryocytes (MKs). It is accepted that both bone marrow (BM) and lung are principal sites of thrombogenesis although underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Outside the body, however, our ability to generate platelets, and retain their functionality, is poor at present. Here we show that perfusion of MKs ex vivo through the mouse lung vasculature generates substantial platelet numbers, up to 3,000 per MK. Despite their large size, MKs were able repeatedly to passage through the lung vasculature, leading to enucleation and subsequent platelet generation intravascularly. Using the ex vivo lung and a novel in vitro microfluidic chamber we determined how oxygenation, ventilation and endothelial cell health support platelet generation. Our data also show a critical role for the actin regulator TPM4 in the final steps of platelet formation in lung vasculature. The findings could inform new approaches to large scale generation of platelets.
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