TY - JOUR A1 - Kraft, Peter A1 - De Meyer, Simon F. A1 - Kleinschnitz, Christoph T1 - Next-Generation Antithrombotics in Ischemic Stroke: Preclinical Perspective on ‘Bleeding-Free Antithrombosis’ JF - Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism N2 - The present antithrombotic drugs used to treat or prevent ischemic stroke have significant limitations: either they show only moderate efficacy (platelet inhibitors), or they significantly increase the risk for hemorrhages (thrombolytics, anticoagulants). Although most strokes are caused by thrombotic or embolic vessel occlusions, the pathophysiological role of platelets and coagulation is largely unclear. The introduction of novel transgenic mouse models and specific coagulation inhibitors facilitated a detailed analysis of molecular pathways mediating thrombus formation in models of acute ischemic stroke. Prevention of early platelet adhesion to the damaged vessel wall by blocking platelet surface receptors glycoprotein Ib alpha (GPIbα) or glycoprotein VI (GPVI) protects from stroke without provoking bleeding complications. In addition, downstream signaling of GPIbα and GPVI has a key role in platelet calcium homeostasis and activation. Finally, the intrinsic coagulation cascade, activated by coagulation factor XII (FXII), has only recently been identified as another important mediator of thrombosis in cerebrovascular disease, thereby disproving established concepts. This review summarizes the latest insights into the pathophysiology of thrombus formation in the ischemic brain. Potential clinical merits of novel platelet inhibitors and anticoagulants as powerful and safe tools to combat ischemic stroke are discussed. KW - von Willebrand factor KW - platelets KW - glycoprotein Ib KW - FXII KW - coagulation KW - Stim Y1 - 2012 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-126538 VL - 32 IS - 10 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hofmann, Sebastian A1 - Braun, Attila A1 - Pozgaj, Rastislav A1 - Morowski, Martina A1 - Vögtle, Timo A1 - Nieswandt, Bernhard T1 - Mice lacking the SLAM family member CD84 display unaltered platelet function in hemostasis and thrombosis JF - PLoS One N2 - Background Platelets are anuclear cell fragments derived from bone marrow megakaryocytes that safeguard vascular integrity by forming thrombi at sites of vascular injury. Although the early events of thrombus formation—platelet adhesion and aggregation—have been intensively studied, less is known about the mechanisms and receptors that stabilize platelet-platelet interactions once a thrombus has formed. One receptor that has been implicated in this process is the signaling lymphocyte activation molecule (SLAM) family member CD84, which can undergo homophilic interactions and becomes phosphorylated upon platelet aggregation. Objective The role of CD84 in platelet physiology and thrombus formation was investigated in CD84-deficient mice. Methods and Results We generated CD84-deficient mice and analyzed their platelets in vitro and in vivo. \(Cd84^{−/−}\) platelets exhibited normal activation and aggregation responses to classical platelet agonists. Furthermore, CD84 deficiency did not affect integrin-mediated clot retraction and spreading of activated platelets on fibrinogen. Notably, also the formation of stable three-dimensional thrombi on collagen-coated surfaces under flow ex vivo was unaltered in the blood of \(Cd84^{−/−}\) mice. In vivo, \(Cd84^{−/−}\) mice exhibited unaltered hemostatic function and arterial thrombus formation. Conclusion These results show that CD84 is dispensable for thrombus formation and stabilization, indicating that its deficiency may be functionally compensated by other receptors or that it may be important for platelet functions different from platelet-platelet interactions. KW - flow cytometry KW - CD coreceptors KW - integrins KW - blood KW - platelet aggregation KW - platelet activation KW - cytotoxic T cells KW - platelets Y1 - 2014 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-126477 VL - 9 IS - 12 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Navdaev, Alexey A1 - Subramanian, Hariharan A1 - Petunin, Alexey A1 - Clemetson, Kenneth J. A1 - Gambaryan, Stepan A1 - Walter, Ulrich T1 - Echicetin Coated Polystyrene Beads: A Novel Tool to Investigate GPIb-Specific Platelet Activation and Aggregation JF - PLoS ONE N2 - von Willebrand factor/ristocetin (vWF/R) induces GPIb-dependent platelet agglutination and activation of αIIbβ3 integrin, which also binds vWF. These conditions make it difficult to investigate GPIb-specific signaling pathways in washed platelets. Here, we investigated the specific mechanisms of GPIb signaling using echicetin-coated polystyrene beads, which specifically activate GPIb. We compared platelet activation induced by echicetin beads to vWF/R. Human platelets were stimulated with polystyrene beads coated with increasing amounts of echicetin and platelet activation by echicetin beads was then investigated to reveal GPIb specific signaling. Echicetin beads induced αIIbβ3-dependent aggregation of washed platelets, while under the same conditions vWF/R treatment led only to αIIbβ3-independent platelet agglutination. The average distance between the echicetin molecules on the polystyrene beads must be less than 7 nm for full platelet activation, while the total amount of echicetin used for activation is not critical. Echicetin beads induced strong phosphorylation of several proteins including p38, ERK and PKB. Synergistic signaling via P2Y12 and thromboxane receptor through secreted ADP and TxA2, respectively, were important for echicetin bead triggered platelet activation. Activation of PKG by the NO/sGC/cGMP pathway inhibited echicetin bead-induced platelet aggregation. Echicetin-coated beads are powerful and reliable tools to study signaling in human platelets activated solely via GPIb and GPIb-triggered pathways. KW - tyrosine KW - ERK signaling cascade KW - integrins KW - phosphorylation KW - polystyrene KW - platelet activation KW - platelet aggregation KW - platelets Y1 - 2014 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-119815 SN - 1932-6203 VL - 9 IS - 4 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kraft, Peter A1 - Drechsler, Christiane A1 - Gunreben, Ignaz A1 - Nieswandt, Bernhard A1 - Stoll, Guido A1 - Heuschmann, Peter Ulrich A1 - Kleinschnitz, Christoph T1 - Von Willebrand Factor Regulation in Patients with Acute and Chronic Cerebrovascular Disease: A Pilot, Case-Control Study JF - PLoS ONE N2 - Background and Purpose In animal models, von Willebrand factor (VWF) is involved in thrombus formation and propagation of ischemic stroke. However, the pathophysiological relevance of this molecule in humans, and its potential use as a biomarker for the risk and severity of ischemic stroke remains unclear. This study had two aims: to identify predictors of altered VWF levels and to examine whether VWF levels differ between acute cerebrovascular events and chronic cerebrovascular disease (CCD). Methods A case–control study was undertaken between 2010 and 2013 at our University clinic. In total, 116 patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) or transitory ischemic attack (TIA), 117 patients with CCD, and 104 healthy volunteers (HV) were included. Blood was taken at days 0, 1, and 3 in patients with AIS or TIA, and once in CCD patients and HV. VWF serum levels were measured and correlated with demographic and clinical parameters by multivariate linear regression and ANOVA. Results Patients with CCD (158±46%) had significantly higher VWF levels than HV (113±36%, P<0.001), but lower levels than AIS/TIA patients (200±95%, P<0.001). Age, sex, and stroke severity influenced VWF levels (P<0.05). Conclusions VWF levels differed across disease subtypes and patient characteristics. Our study confirms increased VWF levels as a risk factor for cerebrovascular disease and, moreover, suggests that it may represent a potential biomarker for stroke severity, warranting further investigation. KW - cerebrovascular diseases KW - sex addiction KW - biomarkers KW - ischemic stroke KW - blood KW - stroke KW - platelets KW - demography Y1 - 2014 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-119588 SN - 1932-6203 VL - 9 IS - 6 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Nieswandt, Bernhard A1 - Morowski, Martina A1 - Brachs, Sebastian A1 - Mielenz, Dirk A1 - Dütting, Sebastian T1 - The Adaptor Protein Swiprosin-1/EFhd2 Is Dispensable for Platelet Function in Mice N2 - Background Platelets are anuclear cell fragments derived from bone marrow megakaryocytes that safeguard vascular integrity, but may also cause pathological vessel occlusion. Reorganizations of the platelet cytoskeleton and agonist-induced intracellular Ca2+-mobilization are crucial for platelet hemostatic function. EF-hand domain containing 2 (EFhd2, Swiprosin-1) is a Ca2+-binding cytoskeletal adaptor protein involved in actin remodeling in different cell types, but its function in platelets is unknown. Objective Based on the described functions of EFhd2 in immune cells, we tested the hypothesis that EFhd2 is a crucial adaptor protein for platelet function acting as a regulator of Ca2+-mobilization and cytoskeletal rearrangements. Methods and Results We generated EFhd2-deficient mice and analyzed their platelets in vitro and in vivo. Efhd2-/- mice displayed normal platelet count and size, exhibited an unaltered in vivo life span and showed normal Ca2+-mobilization and activation/aggregation responses to classic agonists. Interestingly, upon stimulation of the immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif-coupled receptor glycoprotein (GP) VI, Efhd2-/- platelets showed a slightly increased coagulant activity. Furthermore, absence of EFhd2 had no significant impact on integrin-mediated clot retraction, actomyosin rearrangements and spreading of activated platelets on fibrinogen. In vivo EFhd2-deficiency resulted in unaltered hemostatic function and unaffected arterial thrombus formation. Conclusion These results show that EFhd2 is not essential for platelet function in mice indicating that other cytoskeletal adaptors may functionally compensate its loss. KW - adaptor protein Swiprosin-1/EFhd2 KW - platelets KW - platelet activation KW - platelet aggregation KW - cytoskeleton KW - thrombin KW - blood KW - actins KW - collagens Y1 - 2014 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-113316 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Popp, Michael A1 - Thielman, Ina A1 - Nieswandt, Bernhard A1 - Stegner, David T1 - Normal Platelet Integrin Function in Mice Lacking Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced Clone-5 (Hic-5) JF - PLoS One N2 - Integrin αIIbβ3 plays a central role in the adhesion and aggregation of platelets and thus is essential for hemostasis and thrombosis. Integrin activation requires the transmission of a signal from the small cytoplasmic tails of the α or β subunit to the large extracellular domains resulting in conformational changes of the extracellular domains to enable ligand binding. Hydrogen peroxide-inducible clone-5 (Hic-5), a member of the paxillin family, serves as a focal adhesion adaptor protein associated with αIIbβ3 at its cytoplasmic tails. Previous studies suggested Hic-5 as a novel regulator of integrin αIIbβ3 activation and platelet aggregation in mice. To assess this in more detail, we generated Hic-5-null mice and analyzed activation and aggregation of their platelets in vitro and in vivo. Surprisingly, lack of Hic-5 had no detectable effect on platelet integrin activation and function in vitro and in vivo under all tested conditions. These results indicate that Hic-5 is dispensable for integrin αIIbβ3 activation and consequently for arterial thrombosis and hemostasis in mice. KW - platelet activation KW - fibrinogen KW - integrins KW - platelets KW - thrombin KW - flow cytometry KW - platelet aggregation KW - blood Y1 - 2015 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-125724 VL - 10 IS - 7 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Koessler, Juergen A1 - Hermann, Stephanie A1 - Weber, Katja A1 - Koessler, Angela A1 - Kuhn, Sabine A1 - Boeck, Markus A1 - Kobsar, Anna T1 - Role of Purinergic Receptor Expression and Function for Reduced Responsiveness to Adenosine Diphosphate in Washed Human Platelets JF - PLoS One N2 - Background Washing of platelets is an important procedure commonly used for experimental studies, e.g. in cardiovascular research. As a known phenomenon, responsiveness to adenosine diphosphate (ADP) is reduced in washed platelets, although underlying molecular mechanisms—potentially interfering with experimental results—have not been thoroughly studied. Objectives Since ADP mediates its effects via three purinergic receptors P2Y1, P2X1 and P2Y12, their surface expression and function were investigated in washed platelets and, for comparison, in platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) at different time points for up to 2 hours after preparation. Results In contrast to PRP, flow cytometric analysis of surface expression in washed platelets revealed an increase of all receptors during the first 60 minutes after preparation followed by a significant reduction, which points to an initial preactivation of platelets and consecutive degeneration. The activity of the P2X1 receptor (measured by selectively induced calcium flux) was substantially maintained in both PRP and washed platelets. P2Y12 function (determined by flow cytometry as platelet reactivity index) was partially reduced after platelet washing compared to PRP, but remained stable in course of ongoing storage. However, the function of the P2Y1 receptor (measured by selectively induced calcium flux) continuously declined after preparation of washed platelets. Conclusion In conclusion, decreasing ADP responsiveness in washed platelets is particularly caused by impaired activity of the P2Y1 receptor associated with disturbed calcium regulation, which has to be considered in the design of experimental studies addressing ADP mediated platelet function. KW - platelets KW - flow cytometry KW - adenosine KW - statistical data KW - platelet activation KW - platelet aggregation KW - phosphorylation KW - blood plasma Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-146400 VL - 11 IS - 1 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wolf, Karen A1 - Braun, Attila A1 - Haining, Elizabeth J. A1 - Tseng, Yu-Lun A1 - Kraft, Peter A1 - Schuhmann, Michael K. A1 - Gotru, Sanjeev K. A1 - Chen, Wenchun A1 - Hermanns, Heike M. A1 - Stoll, Guido A1 - Lesch, Klaus-Peter A1 - Nieswandt, Bernhard T1 - Partially Defective Store Operated Calcium Entry and Hem(ITAM) Signaling in Platelets of Serotonin Transporter Deficient Mice JF - PLoS One N2 - Background Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamin, 5-HT) is an indolamine platelet agonist, biochemically derived from tryptophan. 5-HT is secreted from the enterochromaffin cells into the gastrointestinal tract and blood. Blood 5-HT has been proposed to regulate hemostasis by acting as a vasoconstrictor and by triggering platelet signaling through 5-HT receptor 2A (5HTR2A). Although platelets do not synthetize 5-HT, they take 5-HT up from the blood and store it in their dense granules which are secreted upon platelet activation. Objective To identify the molecular composite of the 5-HT uptake system in platelets and elucidate the role of platelet released 5-HT in thrombosis and ischemic stroke. Methods: 5-HT transporter knockout mice (5Htt\(^{-/-}\)) were analyzed in different in vitro and in vivo assays and in a model of ischemic stroke. Results In 5Htt\(^{-/-}\) platelets, 5-HT uptake from the blood was completely abolished and agonist-induced Ca2+ influx through store operated Ca\(^{2+}\) entry (SOCE), integrin activation, degranulation and aggregation responses to glycoprotein VI (GPVI) and C-type lectin-like receptor 2 (CLEC-2) were reduced. These observed in vitro defects in 5Htt\(^{-/-}\) platelets could be normalized by the addition of exogenous 5-HT. Moreover, reduced 5-HT levels in the plasma, an increased bleeding time and the formation of unstable thrombi were observed ex vivo under flow and in vivo in the abdominal aorta and carotid artery of 5Htt\(^{-/-}\) mice. Surprisingly, in the transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) model of ischemic stroke 5Htt\(^{-/-}\) mice showed nearly normal infarct volume and the neurological outcome was comparable to control mice. Conclusion Although secreted platelet 5-HT does not appear to play a crucial role in the development of reperfusion injury after stroke, it is essential to amplify the second phase of platelet activation through SOCE and plays an important role in thrombus stabilization. KW - platelets KW - serotonin KW - integrins KW - blood flow KW - collagens KW - platelet activation KW - platelet aggregation KW - ischemic stroke Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-146399 VL - 11 IS - 1 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Gambaryan, Stepan A1 - Subramanian, Hariharan A1 - Kehrer, Linda A1 - Mindukshev, Igor A1 - Sudnitsyna, Julia A1 - Reiss, Cora A1 - Rukoyatkina, Natalia A1 - Friebe, Andreas A1 - Sharina, Iraida A1 - Martin, Emil A1 - Walter, Ulrich T1 - Erythrocytes do not activate purified and platelet soluble guanylate cyclases even in conditions favourable for NO synthesis JF - Cell Communication and Signaling N2 - Background Direct interaction between Red blood cells (RBCs) and platelets is known for a long time. The bleeding time is prolonged in anemic patients independent of their platelet count and could be corrected by transfusion of RBCs, which indicates that RBCs play an important role in hemostasis and platelet activation. However, in the last few years, opposing mechanisms of platelet inhibition by RBCs derived nitric oxide (NO) were proposed. The aim of our study was to identify whether RBCs could produce NO and activate soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) in platelets. Methods To test whether RBCs could activate sGC under different conditions (whole blood, under hypoxia, or even loaded with NO), we used our well-established and highly sensitive models of NO-dependent sGC activation in platelets and activation of purified sGC. The activation of sGC was monitored by detecting the phosphorylation of Vasodilator Stimulated Phosphoprotein (VASPS239) by flow cytometry and Western blot. ANOVA followed by Bonferroni’s test and Student’s t-test were used as appropriate. Results We show that in the whole blood, RBCs prevent NO-mediated inhibition of ADP and TRAP6-induced platelet activation. Likewise, coincubation of RBCs with platelets results in strong inhibition of NO-induced sGC activation. Under hypoxic conditions, incubation of RBCs with NO donor leads to Hb-NO formation which inhibits sGC activation in platelets. Similarly, RBCs inhibit activation of purified sGC, even under conditions optimal for RBC-mediated generation of NO from nitrite. Conclusions All our experiments demonstrate that RBCs act as strong NO scavengers and prevent NO-mediated inhibition of activated platelets. In all tested conditions, RBCs were not able to activate platelet or purified sGC. KW - hemoglobin KW - erythrocytes KW - nitric oxide KW - soluble guanylate cyclase KW - platelets Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-161223 VL - 14 IS - 16 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Koessler, Juergen A1 - Schwarz, Michaela A1 - Weber, Katja A1 - Etzel, Julia A1 - Koessler, Angela A1 - Boeck, Markus A1 - Kobsar, Anna T1 - The role of adenosine diphosphate mediated platelet responsiveness for the stability of platelet integrity in citrated whole blood under ex vivo conditions JF - PLoS ONE N2 - Background: Platelets are important for effective hemostasis and considered to be involved in pathophysiological processes, e.g. in cardiovascular diseases. Platelets provided for research or for therapeutic use are frequently separated from citrated whole blood (WB) stored for different periods of time. Although functionally intact platelets are required, the stability of platelet integrity, e.g. adenosine diphosphate (ADP) mediated responsiveness, has never been thoroughly investigated in citrated WB under ex vivo conditions. Objectives: Platelet integrity was evaluated at different time points in citrated WB units, collected from healthy donors and stored for 5 days at ambient temperature. The analysis included the measurement of activation markers, of induced light transmission aggregometry and of purinergic receptor expression or function. Inhibitory pathways were explored by determination of basal vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP)-phosphorylation, intracellular cyclic nucleotide levels and the content of phosphodiesterase 5A. Fresh peripheral blood (PB) samples served as controls. Results: On day 5 of storage, thrombin receptor activating peptide-6 (TRAP-6) stimulated CD62P expression and fibrinogen binding were comparable to PB samples. ADP induced aggregation continuously decreased during storage. Purinergic receptor expression remained unchanged, whereas the P2Y1 activity progressively declined in contrast to preserved P2Y12 and P2X1 function. Inhibitory pathways were unaffected except for a slight elevation of VASP phosphorylation at Ser\(^{239}\) on day 5. Conclusion: After 5 days of storage in citrated WB, platelet responsiveness to TRAP-6 is sufficiently maintained. However, ADP-mediated platelet integrity is more sensitive to deterioration, especially after storage for more than 2 days. Decreasing ADP-induced aggregation is particularly caused by the impairment of the purinergic receptor P2Y1 activity. These characteristics should be considered in the use of platelets from stored citrated WB for experimental or therapeutic issues. KW - fibrinogen KW - phosphorylation KW - platelets KW - blood KW - specimen storage KW - flow cytometry Y1 - 2017 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-159879 VL - 12 IS - 11 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ungern-Sternberg, Saskia N. I. von A1 - Zernecke, Alma A1 - Seizer, Peter T1 - Extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer EMMPRIN (CD147) in cardiovascular disease JF - International Journal of Molecular Sciences N2 - The receptor EMMPRIN is involved in the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases and in the pathogenesis of myocardial infarction. There are several binding partners of EMMPRIN mediating the effects of EMMPRIN in cardiovascular diseases. EMMPRIN interaction with most binding partners leads to disease progression by mediating cytokine or chemokine release, the activation of platelets and monocytes, as well as the formation of monocyte-platelet aggregates (MPAs). EMMPRIN is also involved in atherosclerosis by mediating the infiltration of pro-inflammatory cells. There is also evidence that EMMPRIN controls energy metabolism of cells and that EMMPRIN binding partners modulate intracellular glycosylation and trafficking of EMMPRIN towards the cell membrane. In this review, we systematically discuss these multifaceted roles of EMMPRIN and its interaction partners, such as Cyclophilins, in cardiovascular disease. KW - cardiovascular disease KW - immunoglobulin superfamily KW - inflammation KW - platelets KW - monocyte-platelet aggregates Y1 - 2018 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-285014 SN - 1422-0067 VL - 19 IS - 2 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mammadova-Bach, Elmina A1 - Braun, Attila T1 - Zinc homeostasis in platelet-related diseases JF - International Journal of Molecular Sciences N2 - Zn\(^{2+}\) deficiency in the human population is frequent in underdeveloped countries. Worldwide, approximatively 2 billion people consume Zn\(^{2+}\)-deficient diets, accounting for 1–4% of deaths each year, mainly in infants with a compromised immune system. Depending on the severity of Zn\(^{2+}\) deficiency, clinical symptoms are associated with impaired wound healing, alopecia, diarrhea, poor growth, dysfunction of the immune and nervous system with congenital abnormalities and bleeding disorders. Poor nutritional Zn\(^{2+}\) status in patients with metastatic squamous cell carcinoma or with advanced non-Hodgkin lymphoma, was accompanied by cutaneous bleeding and platelet dysfunction. Forcing Zn\(^{2+}\) uptake in the gut using different nutritional supplementation of Zn\(^{2+}\) could ameliorate many of these pathological symptoms in humans. Feeding adult rodents with a low Zn\(^{2+}\) diet caused poor platelet aggregation and increased bleeding tendency, thereby attracting great scientific interest in investigating the role of Zn\(^{2+}\) in hemostasis. Storage protein metallothionein maintains or releases Zn\(^{2+}\) in the cytoplasm, and the dynamic change of this cytoplasmic Zn\(^{2+}\) pool is regulated by the redox status of the cell. An increase of labile Zn\(^{2+}\) pool can be toxic for the cells, and therefore cytoplasmic Zn\(^{2+}\) levels are tightly regulated by several Zn\(^{2+}\) transporters located on the cell surface and also on the intracellular membrane of Zn\(^{2+}\) storage organelles, such as secretory vesicles, endoplasmic reticulum or Golgi apparatus. Although Zn\(^{2+}\) is a critical cofactor for more than 2000 transcription factors and 300 enzymes, regulating cell differentiation, proliferation, and basic metabolic functions of the cells, the molecular mechanisms of Zn\(^{2+}\) transport and the physiological role of Zn\(^{2+}\) store in megakaryocyte and platelet function remain elusive. In this review, we summarize the contribution of extracellular or intracellular Zn\(^{2+}\) to megakaryocyte and platelet function and discuss the consequences of dysregulated Zn\(^{2+}\) homeostasis in platelet-related diseases by focusing on thrombosis, ischemic stroke and storage pool diseases. KW - Zinc KW - platelets KW - hemostasis KW - thrombosis KW - ischemic stroke KW - storage-pool diseases Y1 - 2019 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-285554 SN - 1422-0067 VL - 20 IS - 21 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Essig, Fabian A1 - Babilon, Lilith A1 - Vollmuth, Christoph A1 - Kollikowski, Alexander M. A1 - Pham, Mirko A1 - Solymosi, László A1 - Haeusler, Karl Georg A1 - Kraft, Peter A1 - Stoll, Guido A1 - Schuhmann, Michael K. T1 - High mobility group box 1 protein in cerebral thromboemboli JF - International Journal of Molecular Sciences N2 - High-mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) is a damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) involved in neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation and thrombosis. NETs are regularly found in cerebral thromboemboli. We here analyzed associated HMGB1 expression in human thromboemboli retrieved via mechanical thrombectomy from 37 stroke patients with large vessel occlusion. HMGB1 was detected in all thromboemboli, accounting for 1.7% (IQR 0.6–6.2%) of the total thromboemboli area and was found to be colocalized with neutrophils and NETs and in spatial proximity to platelets. Correlation analysis revealed that the detection of HMGB1 was strongly related to the number of neutrophils (r = 0.58, p = 0.0002) and platelets (r = 0.51, p = 0.001). Our results demonstrate that HMGB1 is a substantial constituent of thromboemboli causing large vessel occlusion stroke. KW - acute ischemic stroke KW - thromboemboli KW - HMGB1 KW - neutrophils KW - platelets KW - immunohistochemistry Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-265568 SN - 1422-0067 VL - 22 IS - 20 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Vogelsang, Anna A1 - Eichler, Susann A1 - Huntemann, Niklas A1 - Masanneck, Lars A1 - Böhnlein, Hannes A1 - Schüngel, Lisa A1 - Willison, Alice A1 - Loser, Karin A1 - Nieswandt, Bernhard A1 - Kehrel, Beate E. A1 - Zarbock, Alexander A1 - Göbel, Kerstin A1 - Meuth, Sven G. T1 - Platelet inhibition by low-dose acetylsalicylic acid reduces neuroinflammation in an animal model of multiple sclerosis JF - International Journal of Molecular Sciences N2 - Aside from the established immune-mediated etiology of multiple sclerosis (MS), compelling evidence implicates platelets as important players in disease pathogenesis. Specifically, numerous studies have highlighted that activated platelets promote the central nervous system (CNS)-directed adaptive immune response early in the disease course. Platelets, therefore, present a novel opportunity for modulating the neuroinflammatory process that characterizes MS. We hypothesized that the well-known antiplatelet agent acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) could inhibit neuroinflammation by affecting platelets if applied at low-dose and investigated its effect during experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) as a model to study MS. We found that oral administration of low-dose ASA alleviates symptoms of EAE accompanied by reduced inflammatory infiltrates and less extensive demyelination. Remarkably, the percentage of CNS-infiltrated CD4\(^+\) T cells, the major drivers of neuroinflammation, was decreased to 40.98 ± 3.28% in ASA-treated mice compared to 56.11 ± 1.46% in control animals at the disease maximum as revealed by flow cytometry. More interestingly, plasma levels of thromboxane A\(_2\) were decreased, while concentrations of platelet factor 4 and glycoprotein VI were not affected by low-dose ASA treatment. Overall, we demonstrate that low-dose ASA could ameliorate the platelet-dependent neuroinflammatory response in vivo, thus indicating a potential treatment approach for MS. KW - acetylsalicylic acid KW - experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis KW - platelets KW - multiple sclerosis KW - thromboxane KW - glycoprotein VI KW - platelet factor 4 Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-284535 SN - 1422-0067 VL - 22 IS - 18 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Neagoe, Raluca A. I. A1 - Gardiner, Elizabeth E. A1 - Stegner, David A1 - Nieswandt, Bernhard A1 - Watson, Steve P. A1 - Poulter, Natalie S. T1 - Rac inhibition causes impaired GPVI signalling in human platelets through GPVI shedding and reduction in PLCγ2 phosphorylation JF - International Journal of Molecular Sciences N2 - Rac1 is a small Rho GTPase that is activated in platelets upon stimulation with various ligands, including collagen and thrombin, which are ligands for the glycoprotein VI (GPVI) receptor and the protease-activated receptors, respectively. Rac1-deficient murine platelets have impaired lamellipodia formation, aggregation, and reduced PLCγ2 activation, but not phosphorylation. The objective of our study is to investigate the role of Rac1 in GPVI-dependent human platelet activation and downstream signalling. Therefore, we used human platelets stimulated using GPVI agonists (collagen and collagen-related peptide) in the presence of the Rac1-specific inhibitor EHT1864 and analysed platelet activation, aggregation, spreading, protein phosphorylation, and GPVI clustering and shedding. We observed that in human platelets, the inhibition of Rac1 by EHT1864 had no significant effect on GPVI clustering on collagen fibres but decreased the ability of platelets to spread or aggregate in response to GPVI agonists. Additionally, in contrast to what was observed in murine Rac1-deficient platelets, EHT1864 enhanced GPVI shedding in platelets and reduced the phosphorylation levels of PLCγ2 following GPVI activation. In conclusion, Rac1 activity is required for both human and murine platelet activation in response to GPVI-ligands, but Rac1’s mode of action differs between the two species. KW - platelets KW - Rac1 KW - glycoprotein VI KW - EHT1864 KW - GPVI shedding KW - phospholipase C gamma 2 Y1 - 2022 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-284350 SN - 1422-0067 VL - 23 IS - 7 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Rosa, Annabelle A1 - Butt, Elke A1 - Hopper, Christopher P. A1 - Loroch, Stefan A1 - Bender, Markus A1 - Schulze, Harald A1 - Sickmann, Albert A1 - Vorlova, Sandra A1 - Seizer, Peter A1 - Heinzmann, David A1 - Zernecke, Alma T1 - Cyclophilin a is not acetylated at lysine-82 and lysine-125 in resting and stimulated platelets JF - International Journal of Molecular Sciences N2 - Cyclophilin A (CyPA) is widely expressed by all prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Upon activation, CyPA can be released into the extracellular space to engage in a variety of functions, such as interaction with the CD147 receptor, that contribute to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. CyPA was recently found to undergo acetylation at K82 and K125, two lysine residues conserved in most species, and these modifications are required for secretion of CyPA in response to cell activation in vascular smooth muscle cells. Herein we addressed whether acetylation at these sites is also required for the release of CyPA from platelets based on the potential for local delivery of CyPA that may exacerbate cardiovascular disease events. Western blot analyses confirmed the presence of CyPA in human and mouse platelets. Thrombin stimulation resulted in CyPA release from platelets; however, no acetylation was observed—neither in cell lysates nor in supernatants of both untreated and activated platelets, nor after immunoprecipitation of CyPA from platelets. Shotgun proteomics detected two CyPA peptide precursors in the recombinant protein, acetylated at K28, but again, no acetylation was found in CyPA derived from resting or stimulated platelets. Our findings suggest that acetylation of CyPA is not a major protein modification in platelets and that CyPA acetylation is not required for its secretion from platelets. KW - Cyclophilin A KW - acetylation KW - platelets KW - CD147 KW - EMMPRIN Y1 - 2022 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-284011 SN - 1422-0067 VL - 23 IS - 3 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Goeritzer, Madeleine A1 - Kuentzel, Katharina B. A1 - Beck, Sarah A1 - Korbelius, Melanie A1 - Rainer, Silvia A1 - Bradić, Ivan A1 - Kolb, Dagmar A1 - Mussbacher, Marion A1 - Schrottmaier, Waltraud C. A1 - Assinger, Alice A1 - Schlagenhauf, Axel A1 - Rost, René A1 - Gottschalk, Benjamin A1 - Eichmann, Thomas O. A1 - Züllig, Thomas A1 - Graier, Wolfgang F. A1 - Vujić, Nemanja A1 - Kratky, Dagmar T1 - Monoglyceride lipase deficiency is associated with altered thrombogenesis in mice JF - International Journal of Molecular Sciences N2 - Monoglyceride lipase (MGL) hydrolyzes monoacylglycerols (MG) to glycerol and one fatty acid. Among the various MG species, MGL also degrades 2-arachidonoylglycerol, the most abundant endocannabinoid and potent activator of the cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2. We investigated the consequences of MGL deficiency on platelet function using systemic (Mgl\(^{−/−}\)) and platelet-specific Mgl-deficient (platMgl\(^{−/−}\)) mice. Despite comparable platelet morphology, loss of MGL was associated with decreased platelet aggregation and reduced response to collagen activation. This was reflected by reduced thrombus formation in vitro, accompanied by a longer bleeding time and a higher blood volume loss. Occlusion time after FeCl\(_3\)-induced injury was markedly reduced in Mgl\(^{−/−}\) mice, which is consistent with contraction of large aggregates and fewer small aggregates in vitro. The absence of any functional changes in platelets from platMgl\(^{−/−}\) mice is in accordance with lipid degradation products or other molecules in the circulation, rather than platelet-specific effects, being responsible for the observed alterations in Mgl\(^{−/−}\) mice. We conclude that genetic deletion of MGL is associated with altered thrombogenesis. KW - platelets KW - MGL KW - in vitro and in vivo thrombus formation KW - platelet activation KW - platelet aggregation Y1 - 2023 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-304052 SN - 1422-0067 VL - 24 IS - 4 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Elgheznawy, Amro A1 - Öftering, Patricia A1 - Englert, Maximilian A1 - Mott, Kristina A1 - Kaiser, Friederike A1 - Kusch, Charly A1 - Gbureck, Uwe A1 - Bösl, Michael R. A1 - Schulze, Harald A1 - Nieswandt, Bernhard A1 - Vögtle, Timo A1 - Hermanns, Heike M. T1 - Loss of zinc transporters ZIP1 and ZIP3 augments platelet reactivity in response to thrombin and accelerates thrombus formation in vivo JF - Frontiers in Immunology N2 - Zinc (Zn2+) is considered as important mediator of immune cell function, thrombosis and haemostasis. However, our understanding of the transport mechanisms that regulate Zn2+ homeostasis in platelets is limited. Zn2+ transporters, ZIPs and ZnTs, are widely expressed in eukaryotic cells. Using mice globally lacking ZIP1 and ZIP3 (ZIP1/3 DKO), our aim was to explore the potential role of these Zn2+ transporters in maintaining platelet Zn2+ homeostasis and in the regulation of platelet function. While ICP-MS measurements indicated unaltered overall Zn2+ concentrations in platelets of ZIP1/3 DKO mice, we observed a significantly increased content of FluoZin3-stainable free Zn2+, which, however, appears to be released less efficiently upon thrombin-stimulated platelet activation. On the functional level, ZIP1/3 DKO platelets exhibited a hyperactive response towards threshold concentrations of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) agonists, while immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM)-coupled receptor agonist signalling was unaffected. This resulted in enhanced platelet aggregation towards thrombin, bigger thrombus volume under flow ex vivo and faster in vivo thrombus formation in ZIP1/3 DKO mice. Molecularly, augmented GPCR responses were accompanied by enhanced Ca2+ and PKC, CamKII and ERK1/2 signalling. The current study thereby identifies ZIP1 and ZIP3 as important regulators for the maintenance of platelet Zn2+ homeostasis and function. KW - platelets KW - zinc KW - ZIP KW - thrombin KW - signaling KW - thrombosis Y1 - 2023 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-320154 VL - 14 ER -