Coagulation Factor XIIa Activates Platelets and Is the Physiological Agonist of Protease-Activated Receptor 3.

Abstract 770

Protease-activated receptors (PARs) are G-protein coupled receptors that are activated by proteases. Thrombin is the major agonist for PAR1 and PAR4, whereas tryptase and coagulation factor Xa are the agonists for PAR2. In addition to these major agonists, PARs can be activated by other coagulation proteases. The physiological agonist of PAR3 has not been identified to date; as a result, the molecular pharmacology and physiology of PAR3 remain poorly understood. The purpose of this study is to identify a physiological agonist to PAR3. We used PAR4 null murine platelets, which are known to express only PAR3. In this study, we tested the effect of several coagulation proteases and found that only coagulation factor XIIa (FXIIa) activated PAR4-/- murine platelets, in a concentration-dependent manner. FXIIa caused murine platelet shape change, aggregation, secretion and thromboxane A2 generation and this activation was abolished by C1 esterase inhibitor, a FXIIa inhibitor. FXIIa-induced murine platelet activation was completely abolished by BMS200261, a PAR1 antagonist, without affecting the catalytic activity of FXIIa. As murine platelets do not express PAR1, these data indicate that BMS200261 acts as an antagonist of PAR3 and hence inhibits FXIIa-induced platelet activation. FXIIa also caused mobilization of intracellular calcium from murine platelets and this calcium increase is abolished by BMS200261 in the presence or absence of the PAR4. PAR1 and PAR4 couple to Gq to cause intracellular calcium increases. YM-254890, a Gq inhibitor, abrogates PAR1- or PAR4-mediated calcium mobilization. However, YM-254890 did not affect FXIIa –induced platelet calcium mobilization in murine platelets. FXIIa caused activation of Gq-/- mice platelets similar to wild -type platelets, suggesting that FXIIa -induced calcium mobilization in platelets is independent of Gq pathways. Furthermore, FXIIa-induced platelet activation was completely abolished by BAPTA-AM, which indicates that calcium is required for FXIIa-induced platelet activation. Furthermore, FXIIa caused phosphorylation of Erk and Akt in PAR4 null murine platelets and this phosphorylation was abolished by BMS200261, but not by YM-254890. These observations may explain previous reports that demonstrated lack of stable thrombus formation in FXII null mice. We conclude that FXIIa activates platelets through PAR3 independently of Gq pathways leading to calcium mobilization and activation of Erk and Akt.