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Background: Integrins are heterodimeric (α/β) membrane proteins that play fundamental roles in many biological processes, for example, cell adhesion and spreading, which are important for platelet function and hemostasis. The molecular mechanism that regulates integrin activation is not completely understood.Methods and Results: Here, we show that VPS33B, a member of the Sec1/Munc18 family, binds directly to the integrin β subunit. Overexpression of VPS33B in Chinese hamster ovary cells potentiated αIIbβ3 outside-in signaling but not inside-out signaling. Platelets, from megakaryocyte- and platelet-specific VPS33B conditional knockout mice, had normal morphology, yet their spreading on fibrinogen was impaired and they failed to support clot retraction. Platelet aggregation and ATP secretion in response to low-dose agonists were reduced in the VPS33B knockout mice. αIIbβ3-mediated endocytosis of fibrinogen was also defective. Tail bleeding times and times to occlusion in an FeCl3-induced thrombosis model were prolonged in the VPS33B knockout mice. Furthermore, VPS33B acted upstream of the RhoA-ROCK-MLC and Rac1-dependent pathways that lead to clot retraction and cell spreading, respectively.Conclusions: Our work demonstrates that vesicular trafficking complexes, containing VPS33B, are a novel class of modifiers of integrin function. Our data also provide insights into the molecular mechanism and treatment of arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction, and cholestasis syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: ADP is an important physiological agonist that induces integrin activation and platelet aggregation through its receptors P2Y1 (Gαq -coupled) and P2Y12 (Gαi-coupled). P2Y12 plays a critical role in platelet activation and thrombosis. Adenosine-based P2Y12 antagonists, 2-methylthioadenosine 59-monophosphate triethylammonium salt hydrate (2MeSAMP) and Cangrelor (AR-C69931MX) have been widely used to demonstrate the role of P2Y12 in platelet function. Cangrelor is being evaluated in clinical trials of thrombotic diseases. However, a recent study reported that both 2MeSAMP and Cangrelor raise intra-platelet cAMP levels and inhibit platelet aggregation through a P2Y12-independent mechanism. Methodology/Principal Findings: The present work, using P2Y12 deficient mice, sought to clarify previous conflicting reports and to elucidate the mechanisms by which 2MeSAMP and Cangrelor inhibit platelet activation and thrombosis. 2MeSAMP and Cangrelor inhibited aggregation and ATP release of wild-type but not P2Y12 deficient platelets. 2MeSAMP and Cangrelor neither raised intracellular cAMP concentrations nor induced phosphorylation of vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) in washed human or mouse platelets. Furthermore, unlike the activators (PGI2 and forskolin) of the cAMP pathway, 2MeSAMP and Cangrelor failed to inhibit Ca2+ mobilization, Akt phosphorylation, and Rap1b activation in P2Y12 deficient platelets. Importantly, while injection of Cangrelor inhibited thrombus formation in a FeCl3-induced thrombosis model in wild-type mice, it failed to affect thrombus formation in P2Y12 deficient mice. Conclusions: These data together demonstrate that 2MeSAMP and Cangrelor inhibit platelet function through the P2Y12- dependent mechanism both in vitro and in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Src family kinases (SFKs) play essential roles in collagenand von Willebrand factor (VWF)-mediated platelet activation. However, the roles of SFKs in G protein-coupled receptor-mediated platelet activation and the molecular mechanisms whereby SFKs are activated by G protein-coupled receptor stimulation are not fully understood. Here we show that the thrombin receptor protease-activated receptor 4 agonist peptide AYPGKF elicited SFK phosphorylation in P2Y12 deficient platelets but stimulated minimal SFK phosphorylation in platelets lackingGq.We have previously shown that thrombin-induced SFK phosphorylation was inhibited by the calcium chelator 5,5'-dimethyl-bis- (o-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,Nα',N'-tetraacetic acid (dimethyl- BAPTA). The calcium ionophore A23187 induced SFK phosphorylation in both wild-type and Gq deficient platelets. Together, these results indicate that SFK phosphorylation in response to thrombin receptor stimulation is downstream from Gq/Ca2+ signaling. Moreover, A23187-induced thromboxane A2 synthesis, platelet aggregation, and secretion were inhibited by preincubation of platelets with a selective SFK inhibitor, PP2. AYPGKF-induced thromboxane A2 production in wild-type and P2Y12 deficient platelets was abolished by PP2, and AYPGKF-mediated P-selectin expression, integrin αIIbβ3 activation, and aggregation of P2Y12 deficient platelets were partially inhibited by the PKC inhibitor Ro-31-8220, PP2, dimethyl- BAPTA, or LY294002, but were abolished by Ro-31-8220 plus PP2, dimethyl-BAPTA, or LY294002. These data indicate that Ca2+/SFKs/PI3K andPKCrepresent two alternative signaling pathways mediating Gq-dependent platelet activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitric oxide (NO) stimulates cGMP synthesis by activating its intracellular receptor, soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC). It is a currently prevailing concept that No and cGMP inhibits platelet function. However, the data supporting the inhibitory role of NO/sGC/cGMP in platelets have been obtained either in vitro or using whole body gene deletion that affects vessel wall function. Here we have generated mice with sGC gene deleted only in megakaryocytes and platelets. Using the megakaryocyte- and platelet-specific sGC-deficient mice, we identify a stimulatory role of sGC in platelet activation and in thrombosis in vivo. Deletion of sGC in platelets abolished cGMP production induced by either NO donors or platelet agonists, caused a marked defect in aggregation and attenuated secretion in response to low doses of collagen or thrombin. Importantly, megakaryocyte- and platelet-specific sGC deficient mice showed prolonged tail-bleeding times and impaired FeCl3-induced carotid artery thrombosis in vivo. Interestingly, the inhibitory effect of the NO donor SNP on platelet activation was sGC-dependent only at micromolar concentrations, but sGC-independent at millimolar concentrations. Together, our data demonstrate important roles of sGC in stimulating platelet activation and in vivo thrombosis and hemostasis, and sGC-dependent and -independent inhibition of platelets by NO donors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autophagy is important for maintaining cellular homeostasis, and thus its deficiency is implicated in a broad spectrum of human diseases. Its role in platelet function has only recently been examined. Our biochemical and imaging studies demonstrate that the core autophagy machinery exists in platelets, and that autophagy is constitutively active in resting platelets. Moreover, autophagy is induced upon platelet activation, as indicated by agonist-induced loss of the autophagy marker LC3II. Additional experiments, using inhibitors of platelet activation, proteases, and lysosomal acidification, as well as platelets from knock out mouse strains, show that agonist-induced LC3II loss is a consequence of platelet signaling cascades and requires proteases, acidic compartments, and membrane fusion. To assess the physiological role of platelet autophagy, we generated a mouse strain with a megakaryocyte- and platelet-specific deletion of Atg7, an enzyme required for LC3II production. Ex vivo analysis of platelets from these mice shows modest defects in aggregation and granule cargo packaging. Although these mice have normal platelet numbers and size distributions, they exhibit a robust bleeding diathesis in the tail-bleeding assay and a prolonged occlusion time in the FeCl3-induced carotid injury model. Our results demonstrate that autophagy occurs in platelets and is important for hemostasis and thrombosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]