The role of GPVI and CLEC-2 in platelet activation by miscellaneous ligands

[摘要] Platelets are an essential factor in wound repair and blood clotting, where exposed sub-endothelial extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins induce activation during vascular injury. However, platelets can also be activated by a diverse range of stimuli that share little-to-no resemblance in structure to each other, or to recognized ligands of platelet receptors. These stimuli include diesel exhaust particles (DEP), various peptides including 4N1-1 and Champs, lipoproteins such as PAM3-CSK4, and large polysaccharides for example, fucoidan, and dextran. In this thesis, I demonstrate that this seemingly miscellaneous group of stimuli cause aggregation of human and mouse platelets through Src and Syk tyrosine kinases in association with stimulus-specific tyrosine phosphorylation of the GPVI/FcRγ-chain complex and/or CLEC-2. A critical role for GPVI and/or CLEC-2 in mediating aggregation is shown using platelets from receptor-deficient mouse platelets. Additionally, in double deficient mouse platelets these stimuli activate Src tyrosine kinases independent of GPVI and CLEC-2. DEP, fucoidan and dextran were shown to activate transfected GPVI or CLEC-2 in a cell line model. However, 4N1-1, Champs and PAM3-CSK4 did not activate transfected GPVI or CLEC-2 in a cell line model, nor could they bind to recombinant forms of either receptor. In addition, I demonstrate the unexpected observation that fibrin also activates GPVI revealing a new stage of haemostasis in which the generation of fibrin from fibrinogen reinforces platelet activation.

[发布机构] University:University of Birmingham;Department:Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences

[关键词] Q Science;QH Natural history;QH301 Biology