Background:
Altered intracellular Ca
2+
homeostasis in neonatal platelets has been previously reported. This study aims to examine the changes in the Ca
2+
entry through the store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) mechanism in neonatal platelets.
Methods:
Human platelets from either control women, mothers, and neonates were isolated and, following, were fixed after being treated as required. Platelet samples were analyzed by Western blotting, qRT-PCR, and MALDITOF/TOF. Ca
2+
homeostasis was also determined. Culture cells were used as surrogated of platelets to overexpress the proteins of interest to reproduce the alterations observed in platelets.
Results:
Altered thapsigargin-evoked SOCE, alternative molecular weight form of STIM1 (stromal interaction molecule 1; s-STIM1 [short STIM1 isoform (478 aa)], around 60 kDa) and overexpression of SARAF (SOCE-associated regulatory factor [TMEM66]) were found in neonatal platelet as compared to maternal and control women platelets. s-STIM1 may result due to CAPN1 (calpain1)-dependent processing, as confirmed in platelets and MEG01 cells by using calpeptin and overexpressing CAPN1, respectively. In HEK293 (STIM1 and STIM2 [stromal interaction molecule 2] double knockout) cells transfected either with c-STIM1 (canonical STIM1 [685 aa]), s-STIM1 (478), STIM1B (540), and CAPN1 overexpression plasmids, we found s-STIM1 and c-STIM1, except in cells overexpressing s-STIM1 (478) that lacked CAPN1 target residues. These results and the in silico analysis, lead us to conclude that STIM1 is cleaved at Q496 by CAPN1. Ca
2+
imaging analysis and coimmunoprecipitation assay using MEG01 and HEK293 cells overexpressing SARAF together with s-STIM1 (478) reported a reduced slow Ca
2+
–dependent inactivation, so reproducing the Ca
2+
-homeostasis pattern observed in neonatal platelets.
Conclusions:
CAPN1 may cleave STIM1 in neonatal platelets, hence, impairing SARAF coupling after SOCE activation. S-STIM1 may avoid slow Ca
2+
–dependent inactivation and, subsequently, result in an enhanced thapsigargin-evoked SOCE as observed in neonatal platelets.