Platelet activation is normally induced by primary agonists such as adenosine diphosphate (ADP), thrombin, and collagen, whereas other agonists, such as epinephrine, can play important accessory roles. It is now reported that the macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC), thymus activation-regulated chemokine (TARC), and stromal cell-derived factor one (SDF-1) are highly effective activators of platelet function under a variety of conditions, stimulating platelet shape change, aggregation, and adhesion to collagen or fibrinogen. Chemokine-mediated platelet activation was rapid and maximal (less than 5 seconds) under arterial flow conditions and depended strongly on the presence of low levels of primary agonists such as ADP or thrombin. Concentrations of ADP (0.05-0.25 microM) or thrombin (0.005-0.02 U/mL) that induced minimal aggregation caused major aggregation acting in combination with the chemokines. The ability of apyrase to block chemokine-dependent aggregation or adhesion was consistent with an important role for ADP. Chemokine-stimulated aggregation was also insensitive to indomethacin, suggesting that the activation of cyclo-oxygenase is not involved. TARC, MDC, and SDF-1 increased intracellular calcium concentrations [Ca(2+)](i) when combined with low levels of ADP. The MDC and TARC receptor CCR4 was expressed on platelets, and an anti-CCR4 antibody blocked aggregation induced by TARC or MDC. Treatment of platelets with SDF-1 and MDC rapidly exposed P-selectin (CD62P) on the cell surface but did not induce the secretion of serotonin. These findings suggest that the chemokines MDC, TARC, and SDF-1, which may be produced during inflammatory responses, coupled with low levels of ADP or thrombin, can serve as strong stimuli for activating platelet function.

The ability of the chemokines SDF-1, MDC and TARC to induce platelet aggregation depends strongly on low levels of ADP. The ADP receptors involved have now been characterized using the P2Y 1 and P2T AC receptor antagonists, A2P5P and AR-C69931MX. Stimulation of aggregation by the chemokines at 10 s was not blocked by AR-C69931MX, but was strongly inhibited by A2P5P. Pertussis toxin abolished the chemokine-stimulated aggregation. We conclude that the P2Y 1 ADP receptor plays a critical role in the initial phases of SDF-1-, MDC-and TARC-induced platelet aggregation, which involve a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein. ß

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Geldanamycin (GA), a benzoquinoid ansamycin antibiotic, has been used as a tyrosine kinase inhibitor and an anti-tumour agent and is known to bind to heat-shock protein 90. In the present study on human platelets we have found that GA inhibited platelet aggregation induced by ADP, thrombin and the thrombin-receptor-activating peptide and caused platelet plasma-membrane damage, detected by leakage of adenine nucleotides as well as serotonin. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that platelet exposure to GA led to the formation of holes or fenestrations in the platelet plasma membrane, confirming GA's ability to initiate membrane damage. In addition, GA itself caused both the dephosphorylation and phosphorylation of proteins in resting platelets and prevented agonist-induced phosphorylation of pleckstrin, the 20-kDa myosin light chain and other proteins. Another ansamycin, herbimycin A, also inhibited platelet aggregation, but caused minimal membrane permeabilization, as detected by 3H release from platelets labelled previously with [3H]adenine, and much less membrane damage, revealed by SEM. Overall, GA is able to disrupt membrane structure and inhibit platelet aggregation, an ability which may be linked to alterations in the activity of protein kinases and phosphatases.