Relative contribution of G-protein-coupled pathways to protease-activated receptor-mediated Akt phosphorylation in platelets.

Protease-activated receptors (PARs) activate Gq and G(12/13) pathways, as well as Akt (protein kinase B [PKB/Akt]) in platelets. However, the relative contribution of different G-protein pathways to Akt phosphorylation has not been elucidated. We investigated the contribution of Gq and G(12/13) to Gi/Gz-mediated Akt phosphorylation downstream of PAR activation. Selective G(12/13) activation failed to cause Akt phosphorylation in human and Galpha q-deficient mouse platelets. However, supplementing Gi/Gz signaling to G(12/13) caused significant increase in Akt phosphorylation, confirming that G(12/13) potentiates Akt phosphorylation. Inhibition of PAR-mediated Akt phosphorylation in the presence of the Gq-selective inhibitor YM-254890 was restored to the normal extent achieved by PAR agonists if supplemented with Gi signaling, indicating that Gq does not have any direct effect on Akt phosphorylation. Selective G(12/13) activation resulted in Src kinase activation, and Akt phosphorylation induced by costimulation of G(12/13) and Gi/Gz was inhibited by a Src kinase inhibitor but not by a Rho kinase inhibitor. These data demonstrate that G(12/13), but not Gq, is essential for thrombin-induced Akt phosphorylation in platelets, whereas Gq indirectly contributes to Akt phosphorylation through Gi stimulation by secreted ADP. G(12/13) activation might mediate its potentiating effect through Src activation, and Src kinases play an important role in thrombin-mediated Akt phosphorylation.

Anti-glycoprotein VI treatment severely compromises hemostasis in mice with reduced alpha2beta1 levels or concomitant aspirin therapy.

BACKGROUND: Platelet inhibition is a major strategy to prevent arterial thrombosis, but it is frequently associated with increased bleeding because of impaired primary hemostasis. The activating platelet collagen receptor, glycoprotein VI (GP VI), may serve as a powerful antithrombotic target because its inhibition or absence results in profound protection against arterial thrombosis but no major bleeding in mice. METHODS AND RESULTS: Mice lacking (-/-) or expressing half-levels (+/-) of the other major platelet collagen receptor, integrin alpha2beta1, were injected with the anti-GP VI antibody JAQ1 and analyzed on day 5. Anti-GP VI treatment resulted in a marked hemostatic defect in alpha2-/- or alpha2+/- mice, as shown by dramatically prolonged tail bleeding times. Platelet adhesion to collagen was studied in an ex vivo whole-blood perfusion system under high shear conditions. Weak integrin activation by thromboxane A2 (TxA2) receptor stimulation restored defective adhesion of anti-GP VI-treated wild-type but not alpha2-/- or alpha2+/- platelets to collagen. This process required the simultaneous activation of the G(q) and G13 signaling pathways, as demonstrated by use of the respective knockout strains. Conversely, inhibition of TxA2 production by aspirin severely compromised hemostasis in anti-GP VI-treated or GP VI/Fc receptor gamma-chain-deficient but not control mice. CONCLUSIONS: Anti-GP VI therapy may result in defective hemostasis in patients with reduced alpha2beta1 levels or concomitant aspirin therapy. These observations may have important implications for a potential use of anti-GP VI-based therapeutics in the prevention of cardiovascular disease.