Biliary complications after adult-to-adult living-donor liver transplantation: An international multicenter study of 3633 cases.

In living-donor liver transplantation, biliary complications including bile leaks and biliary anastomotic strictures remain significant challenges, with incidences varying across different centers. This multicentric retrospective study (2016-2020) included 3633 adult patients from 18 centers and aimed to identify risk factors for these biliary complications and their impact on patient survival. Incidences of bile leaks and biliary strictures were 11.4% and 20.6%, respectively. Key risk factors for bile leaks included multiple bile duct anastomoses (odds ratio, [OR] 1.8), Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy (OR, 1.4), and a history of major abdominal surgery (OR, 1.4). For biliary anastomotic strictures, risk factors were ABO incompatibility (OR, 1.4), blood loss >1 L (OR, 1.4), and previous abdominal surgery (OR, 1.7). Patients experiencing biliary complications had extended hospital stays, increased incidence of major complications, and higher comprehensive complication index scores. The impact on graft survival became evident after accounting for immortal time bias using time-dependent covariate survival analysis. Bile leaks and biliary anastomotic strictures were associated with adjusted hazard ratios of 1.7 and 1.8 for graft survival, respectively. The study underscores the importance of minimizing these risks through careful donor selection and preoperative planning, as biliary complications significantly affect graft survival, despite the availability of effective treatments.

Novel Benchmark for Adult-to-Adult Living-donor Liver Transplantation: Integrating Eastern and Western Experiences.

OBJECTIVE: To define benchmark values for adult-to-adult living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT). BACKGROUND: LDLT utilizes living-donor hemiliver grafts to expand the donor pool and reduce waitlist mortality. Although references have been established for donor hepatectomy, no such information exists for recipients to enable conclusive quality and comparative assessments. METHODS: Patients undergoing LDLT were analyzed in 15 high-volume centers (≥10 cases/year) from 3 continents over 5 years (2016-2020), with a minimum follow-up of 1 year. Benchmark criteria included a Model for End-stage Liver Disease ≤20, no portal vein thrombosis, no previous major abdominal surgery, no renal replacement therapy, no acute liver failure, and no intensive care unit admission. Benchmark cutoffs were derived from the 75th percentile of all centers' medians. RESULTS: Of 3636 patients, 1864 (51%) qualified as benchmark cases. Benchmark cutoffs, including posttransplant dialysis (≤4%), primary nonfunction (≤0.9%), nonanastomotic strictures (≤0.2%), graft loss (≤7.7%), and redo-liver transplantation (LT) (≤3.6%), at 1-year were below the deceased donor LT benchmarks. Bile leak (≤12.4%), hepatic artery thrombosis (≤5.1%), and Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI ® ) (≤56) were above the deceased donor LT benchmarks, whereas mortality (≤9.1%) was comparable. The right hemiliver graft, compared with the left, was associated with a lower CCI ® score (34 vs 21, P < 0.001). Preservation of the middle hepatic vein with the right hemiliver graft had no impact neither on the recipient nor on the donor outcome. Asian centers outperformed other centers with CCI ® score (21 vs 47, P < 0.001), graft loss (3.0% vs 6.5%, P = 0.002), and redo-LT rates (1.0% vs 2.5%, P = 0.029). In contrast, non-benchmark low-volume centers displayed inferior outcomes, such as bile leak (15.2%), hepatic artery thrombosis (15.2%), or redo-LT (6.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Benchmark LDLT offers a valuable alternative to reduce waitlist mortality. Exchange of expertise, public awareness, and centralization policy are, however, mandatory to achieve benchmark outcomes worldwide.

The fate of donor-type ABO blood group antigen expression in liver grafts in ABO-incompatible adult living donor liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Donor-type ABO blood group antigens (dABOAgs) have been detected in ABO-incompatible adult living donor liver transplantation (ABOi ALDLT) grafts, but their fate and role in ABOi ALDLT rejection remain uncertain. METHODS: The 0-day, <1-month, and 1-year serial liver graft biopsies from 30 ABOi ALDLT recipients were retrospectively evaluated. ABO antigen expression was quantitatively and serially measured by the mean number of positively stained vascular structures (endothelium of the capillaries, arteries, hepatic veins, and portal veins) within the portal tracts (sS). RESULTS: The dABOAg sS counts of 0-day, <1-month, and 1-year liver graft biopsies (32.3, 20.8, and 20.6, respectively) decreased significantly (p < .001). Early rejection in the <1-month biopsy was observed in 8/30 (26.7%) recipients, four (13.3%) of whom showed antibody-mediated rejection. The sS counts tended to rebound in grafts showing early rejection, with minimal changes from the 0-day to <1-month period, but increased to pre-transplantation levels after 1 year, compared to that in grafts without early rejection (36.0, 20.4, 19.6 vs. 23.7, 21.9, 23.0, respectively; p = .040). CONCLUSIONS: While dABOAg expression decreased after ABOi ALDLT, recipients showing early rejection showed sustained graft dABOAg expression. Therefore, dABOAg expression may be involved in the mechanism of accommodation in ABOi transplantation.

Complete Mitochondrial Genome Sequences of Korean Phytophthora infestans Isolates and Comparative Analysis of Mitochondrial Haplotypes.

Potato late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans is a destructive disease in Korea. To elucidate the genomic variation of the mitochondrial (mt) genome, we assembled its complete mt genome and compared its sequence among different haplotypes. The mt genome sequences of four Korean P. infestans isolates were revealed by Illumina HiSeq. The size of the circular mt genome of the four major genotypes, KR_1_A1, KR_2_A2, SIB-1, and US-11, was 39,872, 39,836, 39,872, and 39,840 bp, respectively. All genotypes contained the same 61 genes in the same order, comprising two RNA-encoding genes, 16 ribosomal genes, 25 transfer RNA, 17 genes encoding electron transport and ATP synthesis, 11 open reading frames of unknown function, and one protein import-related gene, tatC. The coding region comprised 91% of the genome, and GC content was 22.3%. The haplotypes were further analyzed based on sequence polymorphism at two hypervariable regions (HVRi), carrying a 2 kb insertion/deletion sequence, and HVRii, carrying 36 bp variable number tandem repeats (VNTRs). All four genotypes carried the 2 kb insertion/deletion sequence in HVRi, whereas HVRii had two VNTRs in KR_1_A1 and SIB-1 but three VNTRs in US-11 and KR_2_A2. Minimal spanning network and phylogenetic analysis based on 5,814 bp of mtDNA sequences from five loci, KR_1_A1 and SIB-1 were classified as IIa-6 haplotype, and isolates KR_1_A2 and US-11 as haplotypes IIa-5 and IIb-2, respectively. mtDNA sequences of KR_1_A1 and SIB-1 shared 100% sequence identity, and both were 99.9% similar to those of KR_2_A2 and US-11.

LigaSure versus monopolar cautery for recipient hepatectomy in liver transplantation: a propensity score-matched analysis.

BACKGROUND: Recipient hepatectomy during liver transplantation (LT) is one of the most challenging aspects of surgery due to the possibility of massive bleeding. This study aimed to compare and analyze the effectiveness between LigaSure and monopolar cautery in recipients. METHODS: We reviewed 187 recipients who underwent LT from March 2019 to June 2020. We compared the surgical outcomes of the 69 recipients who underwent recipient hepatectomy with LigaSure (LigaSure group) and 118 recipients who underwent with monopolar cautery. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed using the nearest-neighbor method at a ratio of 1:1 based on 14 baseline characteristics and possible factors that influence postoperative bleeding. RESULTS: A total of 187 adult recipients were reviewed retrospectively. In the propensity score-matched analysis, The rates of bleeding and infectious complication were significantly lower in the LigaSure group than in the monopolar cautery group (3/69, 4.35% versus 13/69, 18.8%; P=0.015 and 1/69, 1.45% versus 9/69, 13.0%; P=0.017). The length of postoperative hospital stay was shorter in the LigaSure group (mean: 23.1±16.1 versus 39.6±58.2 days; P=0.024). CONCLUSIONS: Recipient hepatectomy with LigaSure is associated with a short hospital stay due to low re-operation rates, postoperative bleeding, and secondary infection related to bleeding.

Five Surfactin Isomers Produced during Cheonggukjang Fermentation by Bacillus pumilus HY1 and Their Properties.

The cyclic lipopeptide produced from Bacillus pumilus strain HY1 was isolated from Korean soybean sauce cheonggukjang. The chemical structures of the surfactin isomers were analyzed using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS). The five potential surfactin isoforms were detected with protonated masses of m/z 994.7, 1008.7, 1022.7, 1036.7, and 1050.7 and different structures in combination with Na+, K+, and Ca2+ ions. ESI-MS/MS analysis revealed that the isolated surfactin possessed the precise amino acid sequence LLVDLL and hydroxyl fatty acids with 12 to 16 carbons. The surfactin content during cheonggukjang fermentation increased from 0.3 to 51.2 mg/kg over 60 h of fermentation. The mixture of five surfactin isoforms of cheonggukjang inhibited the growth of two cancer cell lines. The growth of both MCF-7 and Caco-2 cells was strongly inhibited with 100 µg/µL of surfactin. This study is the first-time report of five surfactin isomers of Bacillus pumilus strain HY1 during Korean soybean sauce cheonggukjang fermentation, which has cytotoxic properties.

Development of 50 InDel-based barcode system for genetic identification of tartary buckwheat resources.

Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gartn.) is a highly functional crop that is poised to be the target of many future breeding efforts. The reliable ex situ conservation of various genetic resources is essential for the modern breeding of tartary buckwheat varieties. We developed PCR-based co-dominant insertion/deletion (InDel) markers to discriminate tartary buckwheat genetic resources. First, we obtained the whole genome from 26 accessions across a superscaffold-scale reference genome of 569.37 Mb for tartary buckwheat cv. "Daegwan 3-7." Next, 171,926 homogeneous and 53,755 heterogeneous InDels were detected by comparing 26 accessions with the "Daegwan 3-7" reference sequence. Of these, 100 candidate InDels ranging from 5-20 bp in length were chosen for validation, and 50 of them revealed polymorphisms between the 26 accessions and "Daegwan 3-7." The validated InDels were further tested through the assessment of their likelihood to give rise to a single or a few PCR products in 50 other accessions, covering most tartary buckwheat genome types. The major allele frequencies ranged from 0.5616 at the TB42 locus to 0.9863 at the TB48 locus, with the average PIC value of 0.1532 with a range of 0.0267-0.3712. To create a user-friendly system, the homology of the genotypes between and among the accessions were visualized in both one- (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) barcode types by comparing amplicon polymorphisms with the reference variety, "Daegwan 3-7." A phylogenetic tree and population structure of the 76 accessions according to amplicon polymorphisms for the 50 InDel markers corresponded to those using non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism variants, indicating that the barcode system based on the 50 InDels was a useful tool to improve the reliability of identification of tartary buckwheat accessions in the germplasm stocks.

Mitochondrial genome sequence of tuber-bearing wild potato, Solanum commersonii Dunal.

We report two complete mitochondrial genome sequences of a tuber-bearing wild potato species (Solanum commersonii). The genomes are circular DNA molecules with lengths of 213,676 bp and 338,427 bp containing 80 nonredundant genes totally, including 34 protein-coding genes, 25 hypothetical open reading frames, 18 tRNA genes, and 3 rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis using common protein-coding sequences confirmed that S. commersonii belongs to the Solanoideae subfamily in the Solanaceae family.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Solanum hougasii, one of the potato wild relative species.

Solanum hougasii is a wild tuber-bearing species belonging to the family Solanaceae. The complete chloroplast genome of S. hougasii was constituted by de novo assembly, using a small amount of whole genome sequencing data. The chloroplast genome of S. hougasii was a circular DNA molecule with a length of 155,549 bp and consisted of 85,990 bp of large single copy, 18,373 bp of small single copy, and 25,593 bp of a pair of inverted repeat regions. A total of 158 genes were annotated, including 105 protein-coding genes, 45 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis with 25 Solanaceae species revealed that S. hougasii is most closely grouped with S. tuberosum.

Complete Chloroplast Genome Sequences and Comparative Analysis of Chenopodium quinoa and C. album.

The Chenopodium genus comprises ~150 species, including Chenopodium quinoa and Chenopodium album, two important crops with high nutritional value. To elucidate the phylogenetic relationship between the two species, the complete chloroplast (cp) genomes of these species were obtained by next generation sequencing. We performed comparative analysis of the sequences and, using InDel markers, inferred phylogeny and genetic diversity of the Chenopodium genus. The cp genome is 152,099 bp (C. quinoa) and 152,167 bp (C. album) long. In total, 119 genes (78 protein-coding, 37 tRNA, and 4 rRNA) were identified. We found 14 (C. quinoa) and 15 (C. album) tandem repeats (TRs); 14 TRs were present in both species and C. album and C. quinoa each had one species-specific TR. The trnI-GAU intron sequences contained one (C. quinoa) or two (C. album) copies of TRs (66 bp); the InDel marker was designed based on the copy number variation in TRs. Using the InDel markers, we detected this variation in the TR copy number in four species, Chenopodium hybridum, Chenopodium pumilio, Chenopodium ficifolium, and Chenopodium koraiense, but not in Chenopodium glaucum. A comparison of coding and non-coding regions between C. quinoa and C. album revealed divergent sites. Nucleotide diversity >0.025 was found in 17 regions-14 were located in the large single copy region (LSC), one in the inverted repeats, and two in the small single copy region (SSC). A phylogenetic analysis based on 59 protein-coding genes from 25 taxa resolved Chenopodioideae monophyletic and sister to Betoideae. The complete plastid genome sequences and molecular markers based on divergence hotspot regions in the two Chenopodium taxa will help to resolve the phylogenetic relationships of Chenopodium.

Barcode System for Genetic Identification of Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] Cultivars Using InDel Markers Specific to Dense Variation Blocks.

For genetic identification of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] cultivars, insertions/deletions (InDel) markers have been preferred currently because they are easy to use, co-dominant and relatively abundant. Despite their biological importance, the investigation of InDels with proven quality and reproducibility has been limited. In this study, we described soybean barcode system approach based on InDel makers, each of which is specific to a dense variation block (dVB) with non-random recombination due to many variations. Firstly, 2,274 VBs were mined by analyzing whole genome data in six soybean cultivars (Backun, Sinpaldal 2, Shingi, Daepoong, Hwangkeum, and Williams 82) for transferability to dVB-specific InDel markers. Secondly, 73,327 putative InDels in the dVB regions were identified for the development of soybean barcode system. Among them, 202 dVB-specific InDels from all soybean cultivars were selected by gel electrophoresis, which were converted as 2D barcode types according to comparing amplicon polymorphisms in the five cultivars to the reference cultivar. Finally, the polymorphism of the markers were assessed in 147 soybean cultivars, and the soybean barcode system that allows a clear distinction among soybean cultivars is also detailed. In addition, the changing of the dVBs in a chromosomal level can be quickly identified due to investigation of the reshuffling pattern of the soybean cultivars with 27 maker sets. Especially, a backcross-inbred offspring, "Singang" and a recurrent parent, "Sowon" were identified by using the 27 InDel markers. These results indicate that the soybean barcode system enables not only the minimal use of molecular markers but also comparing the data from different sources due to no need of exploiting allele binning in new varieties.

Chloroplast genome of the wild tuber-bearing diploid potato relative Solanum chacoense.

Solanum chacoense is a wild tuber-bearing species belonging to Solanaceae family. The chloroplast genome of the species was completed by de novo assembly using a small amount of whole genome sequencing data. The genome is the circular DNA molecule with a length of 155,532 bp containing 159 predicted genes totally, including 105 protein-coding, 45 tRNA and eight rRNA genes. Maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analysis with 26 species in Solanaceae revealed that S. chacoense is the most closely grouped with S. commersonii.

The complete mitochondrial genome sequences of potato (Solanum tuberosum L., Solanaceae).

Potato (Solanum tuberosum) from the Solanaceae is the fourth most important food crop worldwide. In this study, five complete mitochondrial genome sequences of S. tuberosum were characterized through de novo assembly of whole genome sequencing data. The resulting circular mitochondrial DNA molecules ranged from 49,171 bp to 297,014 bp in size and contained a total of 80 non-redundant genes, comprising 34 protein-coding genes, 24 hypothetical open reading frames, 19 tRNA genes, and 3 rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis using common protein-coding sequences confirmed that S. tuberosum belongs to the Solanoideae subfamily in the Solanaceae family.

Complete chloroplast genome sequences of Solanum commersonii and its application to chloroplast genotype in somatic hybrids with Solanum tuberosum.

KEY MESSAGE: Chloroplast genome of Solanum commersonii and S olanum tuberosum were completely sequenced, and Indel markers were successfully applied to distinguish chlorotypes demonstrating the chloroplast genome was randomly distributed during protoplast fusion. Somatic hybridization has been widely employed for the introgression of resistance to several diseases from wild Solanum species to overcome sexual barriers in potato breeding. Solanum commersonii is a major resource used as a parent line in somatic hybridization to improve bacterial wilt resistance in interspecies transfer to cultivated potato (S. tuberosum). Here, we sequenced the complete chloroplast genomes of Lz3.2 (S. commersonii) and S. tuberosum (PT56), which were used to develop fusion products, then compared them with those of five members of the Solanaceae family, S. tuberosum, Capsicum annum, S. lycopersicum, S. bulbocastanum and S. nigrum and Coffea arabica as an out-group. We then developed Indel markers for application in chloroplast genotyping. The complete chloroplast genome of Lz3.2 is composed of 155,525 bp, which is larger than the PT56 genome with 155,296 bp. Gene content, order and orientation of the S. commersonii chloroplast genome were highly conserved with those of other Solanaceae species, and the phylogenetic tree revealed that S. commersonii is located within the same node of S. tuberosum. However, sequence alignment revealed nine Indels between S. commersonii and S. tuberosum in their chloroplast genomes, allowing two Indel markers to be developed. The markers could distinguish the two species and were successfully applied to chloroplast genotyping (chlorotype) in somatic hybrids and their progenies. The results obtained in this study confirmed the random distribution of the chloroplast genome during protoplast fusion and its maternal inheritance and can be applied to select proper plastid genotypes in potato breeding program.

Expressing the sweet potato orange gene in transgenic potato improves drought tolerance and marketable tuber production.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is generally considered to be sensitive to drought stress. Even short periods of water shortage can result in reduced tuber production and quality. We previously reported that transgenic potato plants expressing the sweet potato orange gene (IbOr) under the control of the stress-inducible SWPA2 promoter (referred to as SOR plants) showed increased tolerance to methyl viologen-mediated oxidative stress and high salinity, along with increased carotenoid contents. In this study, in an effort to improve the productivity and environmental stress tolerance of potato, we subjected transgenic potato plants expressing IbOr to water-deficient conditions in the greenhouse. The SOR plants exhibited increased tolerance to drought stress under greenhouse conditions. IbOr expression was associated with slightly negative phenotypes, including reduced tuber production. Controlling IbOr expression imparted the same degree of drought tolerance while ameliorating these negative phenotypic effects, leading to levels of tuber production similar to or better than those of wild-type plants under drought stress conditions. In particular, under drought stress, drought tolerance and the production of marketable tubers (over 80g) were improved in transgenic plants compared with non-transgenic plants. These results suggest that expressing the IbOr transgene can lead to significant gains in drought tolerance and tuber production in potato, thereby improving these agronomically important traits.

Network analysis of the metabolome and transcriptome reveals novel regulation of potato pigmentation.

To gain insights into the regulatory networks related to anthocyanin biosynthesis and identify key regulatory genes, we performed an integrated analysis of the transcriptome and metabolome in sprouts germinated from three colored potato cultivars: light-red Hongyoung, dark-purple Jayoung, and white Atlantic. We investigated transcriptional and metabolic changes using statistical analyses and gene-metabolite correlation networks. Transcript and metabolite profiles were generated through high-throughput RNA-sequencing data analysis and ultraperformance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry, respectively. The identification and quantification of changes in anthocyanin were performed using molecular formula-based mass accuracy and specific features of their MS(2) spectra. Correlation tests of anthocyanin contents and transcriptional changes showed 823 strong correlations (correlation coefficient, R (2)>0.9) between 22 compounds and 119 transcripts categorized into flavonoid metabolism, hormones, transcriptional regulation, and signaling. The connection network of anthocyanins and genes showed a regulatory system involved in the pigmentation of light-red Hongyoung and dark-purple Jayoung potatoes, suggesting that this systemic approach is powerful for investigations into novel genes that are potential targets for the breeding of new valuable potato cultivars.

The complete chloroplast genome sequences of potato wild relative species, Solanum commersonii.

Solanum commersonii Dunal is a well-known wild potato belonging to Solanaceae family and commonly used as materials for somatic hybridization due to various biotic and abiotic stress resistances. The complete chloroplast genome of S. commersonii was constituted by de novo assembly using a small amount of whole genome sequencing data. The chloroplast genome of S. commersonii was 155 525 bp in length, consisted of 86 013 bp of large single copy, 18 366 bp of small single copy region and 25 573 bp of a pair of inverted repeats. A total of 113 genes were annotated including 79 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes and four rRNA genes. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis with 14 Solanaceae species revealed that S. commersonii is much closely related to Solanum tuberosum and S. bulbocastanum.

Complete Chloroplast Genome Sequence of Tartary Buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) and Comparative Analysis with Common Buckwheat (F. esculentum).

We report the chloroplast (cp) genome sequence of tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) obtained by next-generation sequencing technology and compared this with the previously reported common buckwheat (F. esculentum ssp. ancestrale) cp genome. The cp genome of F. tataricum has a total sequence length of 159,272 bp, which is 327 bp shorter than the common buckwheat cp genome. The cp gene content, order, and orientation are similar to those of common buckwheat, but with some structural variation at tandem and palindromic repeat frequencies and junction areas. A total of seven InDels (around 100 bp) were found within the intergenic sequences and the ycf1 gene. Copy number variation of the 21-bp tandem repeat varied in F. tataricum (four repeats) and F. esculentum (one repeat), and the InDel of the ycf1 gene was 63 bp long. Nucleotide and amino acid have highly conserved coding sequence with about 98% homology and four genes--rpoC2, ycf3, accD, and clpP--have high synonymous (Ks) value. PCR based InDel markers were applied to diverse genetic resources of F. tataricum and F. esculentum, and the amplicon size was identical to that expected in silico. Therefore, these InDel markers are informative biomarkers to practically distinguish raw or processed buckwheat products derived from F. tataricum and F. esculentum.

Excretory-secretory products from Paragonimus westermani increase nitric oxide production in microglia in PKC-dependent and -independent manners.

Excretory-secretory products (ESP) from helminthic parasites may play pivotal roles in the immune regulation in hosts. Previously, we reported that ESP produced from Paragonimus westermani induced morphological activation of microglial cells and markedly stimulated nitric oxide (NO) production via activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). In the present study, we investigated the role of protein kinase C and protein kinase A in MAPKs-dependent NO production by ESP. We found that treatment with protein kinase C inhibitor Go6976 strongly inhibited the phosphorylation of p38 and JNK, but not ERK, of MAPKs and decreased the production of NO in ESP-stimulated microglial cells. Inhibition of ERK, p38 or PKC decreased the ESP-induced activation of NF-kappaB, an important transcription factor for iNOS expression. Furthermore, ESP increased the level of p-CREB in microglial cells. However, adenylyl cyclase activator (forskolin), adenylyl cyclase inhibitor (SQ22536), cAMP analogue (db-cAMP) or protein kinase A inhibitor (H89) was not able to change iNOS expression and NO production in ESP-treated microglial cells. It implies that the cAMP-PKA-CREB pathway is not implicated in the ESP-evoked NO production in microglial cells. Thus, our results indicate that ESP stimulates microglial expression of iNOS via both PKC-dependent and -independent MAPKs phosphorylation and NF-kappaB activation.

Salsolinol, an endogenous neurotoxin, enhances platelet aggregation and thrombus formation.

Salsolinol, an endogenous neurotoxin, is known to be involved in the neuropathy of Parkinson's disease and chronic alcoholism. In these diseases, increased thrombotic events are also commonly reported, yet the mechanism underlying remains poorly understood. Here we report that salsolinol can enhance agonist-induced platelet aggregation and granular secretion, which is essential in the thrombus formation. In rat and human platelets, agonist-induced platelet aggregation was significantly increased by salsolinol in a concentration-dependent manner. Agonist-induced granular secretions of serotonin and concomitant P-selectin expression were also augmented by salsolinol. alpha2-adrenergic blockers attenuated the salsolinol-enhanced aggregation and the inhibition of cyclic AMP generation was found, suggesting the involvement of alpha2-adrenergic receptor-mediated pathways in these events. In accord with the in-vitro results, in an arterial and venous thrombosis model in vivo in the rat, salsolinol shortened vessel occlusion time and increased thrombus formation, respectively. In conclusion, we demonstrated that salsolinol can enhance agonist-induced aggregation and granular secretion in platelets through alpha2-adrenergic receptor activation, which resulted in the increased thrombus formation in vivo. These results suggest that salsolinol-enhanced platelet aggregation could be a possible contributing factor to the thrombotic events observed in Parkinson's disease and alcoholism.