Two distinct pathways regulate platelet phosphatidylserine exposure and procoagulant function

SM Schoenwaelder, Y Yuan… - Blood, The Journal …, 2009 - ashpublications.org
SM Schoenwaelder, Y Yuan, EC Josefsson, MJ White, Y Yao, KD Mason, LA O'Reilly…
Blood, The Journal of the American Society of Hematology, 2009ashpublications.org
Procoagulant platelets exhibit hallmark features of apoptotic cells, including membrane
blebbing, microvesiculation, and phosphatidylserine (PS) exposure. Although platelets
possess many well-known apoptotic regulators, their role in regulating the procoagulant
function of platelets is unclear. To clarify this, we investigated the consequence of removing
the essential mediators of apoptosis, Bak and Bax, or directly inducing apoptosis with the
BH3 mimetic compound ABT-737. Treatment of platelets with ABT-737 triggered PS …
Abstract
Procoagulant platelets exhibit hallmark features of apoptotic cells, including membrane blebbing, microvesiculation, and phosphatidylserine (PS) exposure. Although platelets possess many well-known apoptotic regulators, their role in regulating the procoagulant function of platelets is unclear. To clarify this, we investigated the consequence of removing the essential mediators of apoptosis, Bak and Bax, or directly inducing apoptosis with the BH3 mimetic compound ABT-737. Treatment of platelets with ABT-737 triggered PS exposure and a marked increase in thrombin generation in vitro. This increase in procoagulant function was Bak/Bax- and caspase-dependent, but it was unaffected by inhibitors of platelet activation or by chelating extracellular calcium. In contrast, agonist-induced platelet procoagulant function was unchanged in Bak−/−Bax−/− or caspase inhibitor–treated platelets, but it was completely eliminated by extracellular calcium chelators or inhibitors of platelet activation. These studies show the existence of 2 distinct pathways regulating the procoagulant function of platelets.
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