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Thrombin-activable factor X re-establishes an intrinsic amplification in tenase-deficient plasmas.

Classical hemophilia results from a defect of the intrinsic tenase complex, the main factor X (FX) activator. Binding of factor VIIa to tissue factor triggers coagulation, but little amplification of thrombin production occurs. Handling of hemophilia by injection of the deficient or missing (thus foreign) factor often causes immunological complications. Several strategies have been designed to bypass intrinsic tenase complex, but none induce true auto-amplification of thrombin production. In an attempt to re-establish a cyclic amplification of prothrombin activation in the absence of tenase, we prepared a chimera of FX having fibrinopeptide A for the activation domain (FX(FpA)). We reasoned that cascade initiation would produce traces of thrombin that would activate FX(FpA) (contrary to its normal homologue). Given that the activation domain of FX is released upon activation, thrombin cleavage would produce authentic FXa that would produce more thrombin, which in turn would activate more chimeras. FX(FpA) was indeed activable by thrombin, albeit at a relatively low rate (5 x 10(3) M(-1) s(-1)). Nevertheless, FX(FpA) allowed in vitro amplification of thrombin production, and 100 nM efficiently corrected thrombin generation in tenase-deficient plasmas. A decisive advantage of FX(FpA) could be that the artificial cascade is self-regulating: FX(FpA) had little influence on the clotting time of normal plasma, yet corrected that of tenase deficiency. Another advantage could be the half-life of FX(FpA) in blood; FX has a half-life of about 30 h (less than 3 h for FVIIa). It is also reasonable to expect little or no immunogenicity, because FX and fibrinopeptide A both circulate normally in the blood of hemophiliacs.

Blood Coagulation↗

Signaling pathways in thrombin-induced actin reorganization in pulmonary artery endothelial cells.

The actin-based cytoskeleton of endothelial cells plays an important role in regulating cell function. Both thrombin and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) (an activator of protein kinase C; PKC) cause rearrangement of actin and increased permeability of endothelial monolayers. Conversely, thrombin, but not PMA, induces phosphorylation of myosin light chains (MLC), a process considered essential for cellular contraction. We, therefore, decided to investigate which signaling pathways are involved in thrombin-induced actin reorganization in pulmonary artery endothelial cells. Thrombin induced a rapid and transient increase in cytoskeletal actin that paralleled MLC phosphorylation. Antagonism of the Ca(2+)-binding protein, calmodulix (CaM), or inhibition of the CaM-dependent MLC kinase (MLCK) abolished the elevation in cytoskeletal actin whereas inhibition of PKC did not. In contrast, PMA decreased cytoskeleton-associated actin without affecting phosphorylation of MLC. A23187, a Ca(2+)- ionophore, or thapsigargin, an inhibitor of endoplasmic Ca(2+)-ATPase, either in the presence or absence of PMA, did not increase cytoskeletal actin. Therefore, increased intracellular Ca2+, even with concurrent activation of PKC, is insufficient for redistribution of actin to the cytoskeleton, indicating that thrombin recruits yet another signaling pathway. Both thrombin and PMA caused extensive rearrangement of filamentous actin with a disappearance of the dense peripheral band and an increase in stress fibers, but each agent induced a distinct morphology. Thrombin-induced rearrangement of actin filaments was attenuated by inhibitors of either PKC or MLCK. These data suggest that both PKC- and MLCK-dependent pathways are involved in thrombin-induced endothelial cell actin rearrangement, but that recruitment of actin to the cytoskeleton is not necessary for this rearrangement. Recruitment of actin and myosin to the cytoskeleton does not require PKC but does involve MLCK-catalyzed phosphorylation of MLC.

Actins↗

Differential effect of thrombin on the growth of human fibroblasts.

The ability of thrombin to alter the growth of human skin fibroblasts was studied under a variety of experimental conditions. In agreement with previous reports, we obtained a moderate level of cell growth in confluent cultures using 0.5-8.0 U/ml of thrombin. In subconfluent cultures, the effect was strikingly different and was found to be dependent upon the time in culture when the enzyme was added. Cultures exposed to thrombin 24 h after subculturing showed growth stimulation several days later. In contrast, thrombin added at the time of cell plating produced a complete block of DNA synthesis and cell growth that lasted for at least 3 d. Cells exposed to thrombin under these conditions were morphologically altered and smaller. These thrombin-induced effects were reversible and could be completely prevented by pretreatment of the enzyme with hirudin before it was added to the culture medium. Growth inhibition and altered morphology were found to be the result of changes generated in the growth medium by thrombin and could be blocked by higher serum concentrations. The results of this study indicate that thrombin's influence on cell growth can be stimulatory or inhibitory and suggest that the state of the cell surface determines the response.

Blood↗

Studies on thrombin-induced platelet agglutination.

A one-stage macroscopic test for platelet agglutination was used to study the effect of thrombin and thrombin-cation mixtures on washed platelets. Conclusions regarding platelet agglutination are as follows: (a) Canine, bovine, or human thrombin alone does not cause agglutination of canine or human platelets. (b) Thrombin with calcium or magnesium causes rapid platelet agglutination. Both calcium and magnesium are active at physiologic concentrations. Divalent manganese or cadmium ions can be substituted for calcium or magnesium. (c) The agglutination reaction is affected but little by the species of origin of thrombin or platelets, or by variations in ionic strength or pH over a broad range. (d) Temperature at which the reaction is carried out is critical; optimal temperature for the test is 28 degrees C. (e) Agglutination is inhibited by high ionic strength, by pH values outside the range 6.4-8.6, and by temperatures outside the range 25-28 degrees C. High concentrations of calcium have a specific inhibitory effect. (f) Platelet agglutination time is as sensitive an index of thrombin concentration as is the fibrinogen clotting time. A comparison is made between divalent cations which influence platelet agglutination induced by thrombin, TAg', and TAg. A similar comparison is made of cations influencing the action of thrombin on the "substrates," fibrinogen, TAMe, and platelets.

Animals↗

Highly purified human alpha-thrombin promotes morphological transformation of BALB/c 3T3 cells.

Purified human alpha-thrombin stimulates phosphoinositide turnover as a necessary step in its stimulation of fibroblast cell proliferation. Since phosphoinositide turnover releases diacylglycerol, which activates protein kinase C, we postulated that long-term exposure to thrombin might promote cellular transformation in a manner similar to long-term exposure to phorbol esters, which also activate protein kinase C. The present studies show that chronic exposure of BALB/c 3T3 cells (subclone A31-1-13) to thrombin (5 micrograms/ml) led to a 4- to 20-fold increase in the frequency of morphological transformation over controls as determined by induced foci in monolayer cultures. The foci appeared to represent true transformants as cells from randomly selected foci grew in soft agar and had saturation densities 2- to 3-fold higher than control cells. Acute thrombin treatment for 24 h resulted in small but statistically significant (P less than 0.05) increases in morphological transformation with or without promotion by phorbol myristate acetate, indicating that thrombin can act as a weak initiator or complete carcinogen in this test system. Initiation of cells with low levels of 3-methylcholanthrene followed by promotion with thrombin caused a greater enhancement of morphological transformation (P less than 0.005). Thus, it appears that most of the stimulation of in vitro cell transformation by thrombin may be due to its promotional activity. These results raise the possibility that thrombin released locally following tissue injury or chronic irritation may play a role in cellular transformation and tumor development, especially in tissues sensitized by exposure to initiating carcinogens.

3T3 Cells↗

Preparation of recombinant alpha-thrombin: high-level expression of recombinant human prethrombin-2 and its activation by recombinant ecarin.

We have established a large-scale manufacturing system to produce recombinant human alpha-thrombin. In this system, a high yield of alpha-thrombin is prepared from prethrombin-2 activated by recombinant ecarin. We produced human prethrombin-2 using mouse myeloma cells and an expression plasmid carrying the chicken beta-actin promoter and mutant dihydrofolate reductase gene for gene amplification. To increase prethrombin-2 expression further, we performed fed-batch cultivation with the addition of vegetable peptone in 50 liters of suspension culture. After five feedings of vegetable peptone, the expression level of the recombinant prethrombin-2 reached 200 micro g/ml. Subsequently, the recombinant prethrombin-2 could be activated to alpha-thrombin by recombinant ecarin expressed in a similar manner. Finally, recombinant alpha-thrombin was purified to homogeneity by affinity chromatography using a benzamidine-Sepharose gel. The yield from prethrombin-2 in culture medium was approximately 70%. The activity of the purified recombinant alpha-thrombin, including hydrolysis of a chromogenic substrate, release of fibrinopeptide A, and activation of protein C, was indistinguishable from that of plasma-derived alpha-thrombin. Our system is suitable for the large-scale production of recombinant alpha-thrombin, which can be used in place of clinically available alpha-thrombin derived from human or bovine plasma.

Actins↗

Comparison of the catalytic properties of thrombin and trypsin by kinetic analysis on the basis of active enzyme concentration.

The interaction of bovine thrombin [EC 3.4.21.5] with synthetic substrates and products was studied. The enzyme was purified from Parke-Davis topical thrombin. The purification process afforded some preparations with different clottin specific activities but with similar esterase specific activities. The preparation having highest clotting specific activity and that having lowest clotting activity were tentatively named thrombin-C and thrombin-E, respectively. Kinetic parameters for the hydrolysis of synthetic substrates and normality titrants were determined on the basis of active enzyme quantity, which was assayed by means of a fluorometric normality titrant. It was shown that thrombin-E was acylated by the substrates more slowly than thrombin-C, while deacylation proceeded at similar rates in the two preparations. The results were also compared with those obtained with bovine trypsin [EC 3.4.21.4]. The acylation rates of both thrombin preparations were markedly lower than that of trypsin, while the deacylation rates of the former were only slightly lower than that of the latter. The effects of various product-type inhibitors, such as benzyloxycarbonyl-, benzoyl-, and tosyl-L-arginine, were also examined. Thrombin was affected by these inhibitors not competitively, though trypsin was inhibited competitively.

Animals↗

Recombinant hirudin: kinetic mechanism for the inhibition of human thrombin.

Recombinant hirudin variant-2(Lys47), was found to be a competitive inhibitor of human alpha-thrombin with respect to peptidyl p-nitroanilide substrates. These results contrast with those of Degryse and coworkers that suggest that recombinant hirudin variant-2(Lys47) inhibited thrombin by a noncompetitive mechanism [Degryse et al. (1989) Protein Engng, 2, 459-465]. gamma-Thrombin, which can arise from alpha-thrombin by autolysis, was shown to have an affinity for recombinant hirudin variant-2(Lys47) that was four orders of magnitude lower than that of alpha-thrombin. It was demonstrated that the apparent noncompetitive mechanism observed previously was probably caused by a contamination of the thrombin preparation by gamma-thrombin. Comparison of the inhibition of alpha-thrombin by recombinant hirudins variant-2(Lys47) and variant-1, which differ from one another in eight out of 65 amino acids, indicated that the two variants have essentially the same kinetic parameters.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The hypercoagulable state in cancer patients: evidence for impaired thrombin inhibitions.

Activation of prothrombin and the subsequent reactions of thrombin with its substrates and its major inhibitors, antithrombin III (AT III) and heparin cofactor II (HC II), likely reflect both intravascular and extravascular coagulation. Several studies have reported increased in vivo coagulation in cancer. Whether the increased thrombin production in malignancy is accompanied by a corresponding increase in thrombin inhibition is unknown. This study quantified prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 (F1 + 2), thrombin-AT III (TAT), thrombin-AT III-vitronectin (TAT.V), and thrombin-HC II-vitronectin (THCII.V) in the plasmas of healthy volunteers (n = 37); patients with localized solid tumours before treatment was initiated (n = 39); and five patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, both before and during weekly chemotherapy. Two of the five non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients developed deep venous thrombosis (DVT) during chemotherapy. In normal plasma, where the concentrations of the four parameters likely reflect haemostasis, the sum of TAT, TAT.V and THCII.V was 61% that of F1 + 2, compared with 30% in cancer plasmas. In addition, the mean +/- SEM of F1 + 2 in the plasmas of cancer patients (1.56 +/- 0.09 nM) was significantly elevated (P < 0.001) when compared with healthy volunteers (0.89 +/- 0.06 nM). Eight weeks of chemotherapy increased the F1 + 2 and the binary TAT in plasmas of the non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients by approximately 1.5- and 2.9-fold, respectively. Thus, increased prothrombin activation in cancer patients, without corresponding increases in concentrations of thrombin-inhibitor complexes, raise the possibility that a significant portion of the thrombin generated in vivo escapes inhibition in cancer and contributes to the high risk of DVT in malignancy.

Adult↗

Screening for selective thrombin inhibitors in mushrooms.

Thrombin is the key serine proteinase of the coagulation cascade and therefore a suitable target for inhibition of blood coagulation. A number of pharmacologically active secondary metabolites from mushrooms have already been isolated, thus providing the rationale for screening for new thrombin inhibitors in mushrooms. In this study, inhibitory activities of mushroom extracts on thrombin and trypsin were measured using the chromogenic substrates H-D-phenylalanine-L-pipecolyl-L-arginine-paranitroaniline dihydrochloride (S-2238) for thrombin and N-benzoyl-D,L-Arg-p-nitroanilide (BAPNA) for trypsin. The inhibitory activities of extracts from 95 Basidiomycete species have been determined. The majority of samples inhibited trypsin and thrombin with various potencies; however, some extracts showed no activity against one or both of the enzymes. An aqueous extract of Gleophyllum odoratum exhibited high inhibitory activity on both thrombin and trypsin (72 and 60%, respectively), while extracts of Clitocybe gibba, Amanita virosa, Cantharellus lutescens, Suillus tridentinus, Hypoloma fasciculare and Lactarius badiosanguineus considerably inhibited thrombin (49, 48, 36, 34, 32 and 31%, respectively) and showed no inhibitory activity on trypsin. The results at this point are promising for further research with the objective of finding an effective and safe thrombin inhibitor.

Agaricales↗

Thrombin activity resides on LVAD Dacron inflow and outflow grafts.

Patients on left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are at increased risk for thromboembolism, and they experience elevations in platelet release and thrombin activity indices during device implantation. The Dacron grafts that lead from the ventricle to the LVAD and back to the aorta may harbor thrombin activity and protect this thrombin from anticoagulant action. To investigate this possibility, specimens isolated from LVAD grafts at the time of device explantation or implantation were incubated with citrated platelet poor plasma (cPPP), cPPP and 2 U/ml of heparin, cPPP and 2 U/ml of recombinant hirudin (r-hirudin), or cPPP and 50 U/ml of heparin. Thrombin activity was measured by the increase in incubated cPPP fibrinopeptide A (FPA) concentrations over cPPP FPA levels, without material contact. A chromogenic substrate for thrombin verified the effects seen. Thrombin activity was found at comparable levels on both the inflow and outflow LVAD grafts at explantation. This activity was not inhibited by low concentrations of heparin, but 50 U/ml of heparin and 2 U/ml of r-hirudin reduced the activity. At graft implantation (after preclotting), thrombin activity was higher than at explantation, but susceptibility to inhibition by heparin was also significantly greater. These results confirm that the LVAD Dacron grafts harbor surface thrombin activity resistant to anticoagulation that may be a primary source for LVAD thrombogenicity.

Heart Ventricles↗

Inhibition of thrombin-induced endothelium-dependent relaxation after coronary ischemia in the dog: possible role of the coagulation cascade.

Myocardial ischemia inhibits endothelium-dependent relaxation stimulated by the coagulant peptide, thrombin. To investigate whether activation of endogenous thrombin contributed to this reduction in relaxant sensitivity, the effects of pretreatment of dogs with the coumarin anticoagulant, brodifacoum, were studied. Experiments were performed in both normal coronary vasculature and coronary vasculature exposed to 90 min of myocardial ischemia, with or without 60 min of subsequent reperfusion. Ischemia was induced in the left anterior descending artery (LAD); nonischemic vessels from the left circumflex (LCX) artery of the same animals were used as control. Thrombin caused dose-dependent relaxation in isolated LCX preconstricted with prostaglandin F2 alpha (Emax of 89.1 +/- 2.33%). Relaxation was reduced by 90 min of ischemia (Emax of 27.5 +/- 8.0%; p less than 0.05), and further reduced after subsequent reperfusion (Emax of 8.7 +/- 8.7%). However, maximum relaxations to acetylcholine, calcimycin, and isoproterenol were unchanged after ischemia (Emax greater than 90% in all groups). Brodifacoum had no effect on thrombin-induced relaxation in control vessels (Emax of 83.0 +/- 3.5%), or on relaxation in response to acetylcholine, calcimycin, or isoproterenol (Emax greater than 90%). In contrast, brodifacoum markedly reduced thrombin-induced relaxation after ischemia (Emax of 3.3 +/- 3.3%; p less than 0.05) yet significantly preserved the relaxant response to thrombin after ischemia and reperfusion (Emax of 36.6 +/- 4.3%). Infusion of the thrombin inhibitor, D-phenylalanyl-L-prolyl-L-arginine chloromethyl ketone (PPACK), during ischemia and reperfusion also preserved in part the relaxant response induced by thrombin (Emax of 30.0 +/- 5.1%; p less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

4-Hydroxycoumarins↗

The inducible nitric oxide synthase is impaired by thrombin in vascular smooth muscle cells.

The present study investigated whether or not thrombin may affect the induction of nitric oxide (NO) synthase caused by interleukin-1 beta in cultured smooth muscle cells (SMCs) from the rat aorta. The release of nitrite, an oxidation product of NO, from interleukin-1 beta-activated SMCs was inhibited by thrombin. The inhibitory effect of thrombin was prevented by hirudin, a thrombin inhibitor, and required the presence of thrombin during the induction period. Under bioassay conditions, the perfusate from interleukin-1 beta-activated SMCs relaxed endothelium-denuded rat aortic rings precontracted with phenylephrine. The perfusate from untreated SMCs or cells exposed to thrombin alone or to interleukin-1 beta in combination with thrombin relaxed only minimally the detector blood vessel. These observations demonstrate that thrombin inhibits the production of NO by the inducible NO synthase in cultured vascular SMCs.

Amino Acid Oxidoreductases↗

Bovine thrombin induces an acquired coagulopathy in sensitized patients undergoing revision spinal surgery: a report of two cases.

STUDY DESIGN: A report of two cases is presented. OBJECTIVE: To raise awareness of bovine thrombin-induced factor V deficiency. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Bovine thrombin is a frequently used hemostatic agent in spinal surgery. Current preparations contain clotting factors in addition to thrombin, particularly factor V, which are immunogenic. Re-exposure of sensitized patients to bovine thrombin products during subsequent surgery may lead to the formation of antibodies that cross-react with human clotting factors, most commonly against factor V. Hemorrhagic complications have been reported in nonspinal patients due to a bovine thrombin-induced factor V deficiency. METHODS: Two spinal cases are reported, and the literature is reviewed. RESULTS: In the cases outlined, both patients underwent revision spinal surgery, with re-exposure to bovine thrombin. Both patients developed abnormal coagulation profiles, with an acquired factor V deficiency. No hemorrhagic complications occurred; however, second-stage surgery was delayed in one patient and not undertaken in the other. In both patients, the coagulopathy resolved spontaneously. CONCLUSIONS: Bovine thrombin-induced coagulopathy is well recognized in cardiac surgery but has not been reported in spinal surgical patients. Data available from cardiac surgical patients suggests that those who are sensitized to two or more bovine clotting factors are at greatest risk of hemorrhagic complications. The cases we present demonstrate that this phenomenon occurs in spinal surgical patients and serve to raise awareness of the potential danger of bovine thrombin in sensitized patients.

Factor V↗

Factor-V activation by thrombin and its role in prothrombin conversion.

Purified coagulation factors and specific antibodies to factor V and factor X were used to investigate the action of thrombin on factor V and the mechanism by which thrombin-treated factor V influences prothrombin activation. The formation of a complex or complexes between phospholipid, factor V, factor Xa and calcium was demonstrated by column chromatography on Sephadex gel, and by immunological analysis of the column fractions including the use of solid-phase antibodies. Kinetic experiments demonstrated that generation of thrombin from purified prothrombin was accomplished by this complex. Pre-treatment of factor V with trace quantities of thrombin resulted in increased yield and rate of thrombin generation. It was shown that phospholipid became saturated when incubated with increasing concentrations of factor V and that the initial saturating concentration of the latter was reduced by pre-treatment with thrombin. The findings confirm that optimum conversion of prothrombin to thrombin is accomplished by a complex or complexes of phospholipid, factor V, factor Xa and calcium and it is suggested that thrombin plays an autocatalytic role in these reactions.

Animals↗

Reversibility of thrombin-induced decrease in platelet glycoprotein Ib function.

Thrombin induces a redistribution of glycoprotein (GP) Ib/GP IX complex from the platelet surface into the surface connected canalicular system (SCCS). This redistribution results in a reduced interaction of platelet GP Ib with von Willebrand factor (vWF) bound to subendothelium leading to impaired platelet adhesion. In this study we show that the platelet aggregation and degranulation require concentrations of thrombin above 0.05 U/ml, while the decrease in GP Ib function (about 50% of control value), as determined by ristocetin induced platelet agglutination, can be induced by lower concentrations (0.01-0.04 U/ml). Moreover, we show that when adding thrombin inhibitors to the platelets preincubated with < 0.04 U/ml thrombin for 5 min, their agglutinability by ristocetin was gradually recovered within 30 min, indicating that in these conditions the decrease in platelet adhesiveness is reversible. Immuno-electromicroscopic study showed that this restoration of platelet GP Ib function was associated with a reversed translocation of GP Ib from the SCCS to the plasma membrane. The data obtained from counting gold particles showed that the ratio of GP Ib immunolabelling on the external membrane versus that on the SCCS was 3.31 +/- 0.90 for resting platelets, down-regulated to 0.84 +/- 0.13 (P < 0.05 versus resting platelets) for the platelets treated with 0.04 U/ml thrombin and returned to 2.63 +/- 2.21 (P > 0.05 versus resting platelets) after incubation for 30 min with hirudin. However, the translocation of GP Ib was poorly reversed by thrombin inhibitors when higher concentrations of thrombin were used which induced platelet aggregation and large extent of degranulation. We conclude that thrombin affects platelets in a dose dependent manner, and that at low concentrations the decrease in platelet GP Ib related function is a reversible phenomenon.

Antithrombins↗

Abnormal factor VIII Hiroshima: defect in crucial proteolytic cleavage by thrombin at Arg1689 detected by a novel ELISA.

We have established an ELISA for detecting thrombin cleavage of the FVIII light chain at Arg1689. The method used a coating alloantibody which recognized amino acid residues 2248-2312 in the C2 domain, together with a second monoclonal antibody, NMC-VIII/10, which recognized residues 1675-1684 in the amino-terminal region of the light chain. FVIII antigen (FVIII:Ag) was measured after treatment of plasma with various concentrations of thrombin. The FVIII:Ag of normal plasma was reduced in a dose-dependent manner by the thrombin, falling to 28% in the presence of 100 U/ml enzyme. The concentration of thrombin that achieved 50% reduction (IC50) was approximately 1.0 U/ml. The plasma of four haemophilia A positive (A+) and two haemophilia A reduced (AR) patients were analysed. The IC50 of all patients was more than 1.0 U/ml, indicating that thrombin cleavage of the FVIII light chain was defective. One haemophilia A+ plasma did not respond to thrombin in this ELISA system. The patient (TI) was a haemophiliac with FVIII coagulant activity of 0.04 U/ml and FVIII:Ag of 1.78 U/ml. In addition, immunoblotting of the purified FVIII from TI showed that thrombin cleavage of the 80 kilodalton (kD) light chain was impaired. The patient's DNA was amplified using the polymerase chain reaction with a set of synthetic oligonucleotide primers spanning amino acid residues 1646-1714. Sequence analysis of the amplified DNA fragments revealed a cytosine to thymine transition, converting an arginine 1689 to cysteine. This abnormal FVIII was designated as FVIII Hiroshima. Our ELISA system is a simple and useful method of evaluating the proteolytic cleavage by thrombin at Arg1689.

Arginine↗

Thrombin and activators of protein kinase C modulate secretory responses of permeabilised human platelets induced by Ca2+.

Addition of thrombin enhances secretion of both [14C]serotonin and beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase induced by Ca2+ in human platelets rendered permeable by exposure to intense electric fields. Enhancement of beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase secretion by thrombin results from an increase in the maximal extent of the response with no significant change in the median effective concentration EC50 for Ca2+. In contrast, thrombin shifts the dose/response curve for Ca2+-induced [14C]serotonin secretion to the left and has little effect on the maximal extent of this response even when this extent is reduced by use of a non-saturating concentration of MgATP2-. The relationship between extent of response and [MgATP2-] is similar for secretion of [14C]serotonin and of beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase in the presence or absence of thrombin. Similar nucleotide specificities are also observed. Activators of protein kinase C have previously been shown to mimic quantitatively the effect of thrombin on [14C]serotonin secretion induced by Ca2+ [D. E. Knight & M. C. Scrutton (1984) Nature (Lond.) 309, 66-68]. Such activators have the same qualitative effect as thrombin on the properties of beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase secretion induced by Ca2+ but are less effective. The EC50 for thrombin observed for enhancement of [14C]serotonin and beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase secretion is in the same range as that obtained for intact platelets under comparable conditions [D. E. Knight, T. J. Hallam & M. C. Scrutton (1982) Nature (Lond.) 296, 256-257]. The EC50, and the specificity of response, observed for activators of protein kinase C in these systems are consistent with those reported previously for the purified enzyme. Addition of 1-10 microM Ca2+ to permeabilised platelets in the presence of [gamma-32P] ATP causes marked enhancement of 32P incorporation into polypeptides of molecular mass 20 kDA, 45 kDA and 66 kDA. No additional polypeptides become phosphorylated in this system when thrombin is added together with 10 microM Ca2+, but some increase is observed in the extent of phosphorylation of the 45-kDa polypeptide. Addition of 1-oleyl-2-acetylglycerol + 1 - 2 microM Ca2+ causes enhanced phosphorylation of the 45-kDa polypeptide and to a lesser extent of the 20-kDa polypeptide. The dose/response curves for Ca2+-dependent phosphorylation of the 45-kDa polypeptide in the presence and absence of 1-oleyl-2-acetylglycerol are similar to those observed for Ca2+-dependent [14C]serotonin secretion under these conditions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Acetylglucosaminidase↗