KRDS (Lys-Arg-Asp-Ser), a tetrapeptide from human lactotransferrin, was tested in vitro on human platelet function, and its effects were compared to those of RGDS, a tetrapeptide from human fibrinogen. Both peptides had a high probability of initiating a p-turn and were highly hydrophilic. KRDS inhibited ADP-induced platelet aggregation [median inhibitory concentration (1C5,J 350 pM] and fibrinogen binding 360 pM) to a lesser extent than RGDS (IC50 75 pM and 20 pM, respectively). Different from RGDS, thrombin-induced serotonin release was inhibited by KRDS (750 pM) on normal platelets (55 loo/,) and type I Glanzmann's thrombasthenia platelets (43% f 1). However, KRDS had no effect on cytoplasmic Ca2 + mobilization, inositol phospholipid metabolism or protein phosphorylation (myosin light chain P20 and P43). In contrast to RGDS, KRDS does not inhibit the binding of monoclonal antibody PAC-1 to activated platelets. KRDS and RGDS inhibited 4P-phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA)-induced aggregation and fibrinogen binding, while proteins were normally phosphorylated. Thus, the tetrapeptide KRDS is (a) an inhibitor of serotonin release by a mechanism independent of protein phosphorylation and (b) an inhibitor of fibrinogen binding and, hence, aggregation by a mechanism that may not necessarily involve its direct binding to the glycoprotein IIb-IIIa-complex.It is well established [l, 21 that fibrinogen interaction with platelets is essential for platelet aggregation and that fibrinogen binds to a specific receptor on the platelet surface: the glycoprotein IIb-IIIa complex (GPIIb-IIIa). Unstimulated platelets do not bind fibrinogen. In type I Glanzmann's thrombasthenia, characterized by the absence of platelet membrane GPIIb-IIIa, fibrinogen binding and ADP-or thrombininduced platelet aggregation are not observed. Yet the mechanisms of fibrinogen receptor exposure on the platelet surface and of fibrinogen interaction with GPIIb-IITa are not completely understood. Two binding sites have been identified on the fibrinogen molecule: a decapeptide in the carboxy-terminal region of the y-chain (LGGAKQAGDV; residues 402 -41 1) and a tetrapeptide in the carboxy-terminal region of the a-chain (RGDS; residues 572-575). Both peptides inhibit aggregation and fibrinogen binding to ADP-activated platelets [3]. Recently it has been shown that RGDS becomes more chemically cross-linked to residues 109-171 of GPIIIa number of similarities have been previously reported between these two clotting processes [6, 71. Moreover, structural homology has been found between cow K-casein and human fibrinogen y-chain [8]. Recently, Jolles et al. [9] showed that both the natural and the corresponding synthetic undecapeptide MAIPPKKNQDK of cow K-casein (residues 106-116) were more inhibitory of ADP-induced platelet aggregation and fibrinogen binding than the C-terminal dodecapeptide, HHLGGAKQAGDV, of the human fibrinogen y-chain (residues 400-411). Based on these observations, we looked for a peptide from a milk protein that is structurally and fun...