Heterozygotes in the bernard-soulier syndrome do not necessarily have giant platelets or thrombocytopenia.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to P Nurden.
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We have tested the DNA of a large series of Glanzmann thrombasthenia patients for polymorphisms in platelet membrane glycoproteins. To our surprise, we noted a high prevalence of the HPA-1b allele of beta3, the minority allele in a normal population. This proved to be due to the presence of nine patients homozygous for the so-called French gypsy mutation (IVS15[ + 1]G-->A) in alphaIIb. Seven of these patients were homozygous for the HPA-1b alloantigen and the other two heterozygous HPA-1a/1b. As the alphaIIb and beta3 genes are both on chromosome 17, it is highly probable that the French gypsy mutation first arose on a chromosome encoding HPA-1b. For other adhesion receptors, no major differences were seen in the distribution of the A1, A2 and A3 alleles in the alpha2 gene, or in the Kozak or HPA-2 polymorphisms of GPIbalpha, suggesting that none of these alleles result in increased survival in Glanzmann thrombasthenia.
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von Willebrand factor (VWF) is a complex plasma glycoprotein that modulates platelet adhesion at the site of a vascular injury, and it also serves as a carrier protein for factor (F)VIII. As megakaryocytes are the only hematopoietic lineage to naturally synthesize and store VWF within alpha-granules, this study was performed to determine if expression of a FVIII transgene in megakaryocytes could lead to trafficking and storage of FVIII with VWF in platelet alpha-granules. Isolex selected CD34+ cells from human G-CSF mobilized peripheral blood cells (PBC) and murine bone marrow were transduced with a retrovirus encoding the B-domain deleted form of human FVIII (BDD-FVIII). Cells were then induced with cytokines to form a population of multiple lineages including megakaryocytes. Chromogenic analysis of culture supernatant from FVIII-transduced human cells demonstrated synthesis of functional FVIII. Treatment of cells with agonists of platelet activation (ADP, epinephrine, and thrombin receptor-activating peptide) resulted in the release of VWF antigen and active FVIII into the supernatant from transduced cells. Immunofluorescence analysis of cultured human and murine megakaryocytes revealed a punctate pattern of staining for FVIII that was consistent with staining for VWF. Electron microscopy of transduced megakaryocytes using immunogold-conjugated antibodies colocalized FVIII and VWF within the alpha-granules. FVIII retained its association with VWF in human platelets isolated from the peripheral blood of NOD/SCID mice at 2-6 weeks post-transplant of transduced human PBC. These results suggest feasibility for the development of a locally inducible secretory pool of FVIII in platelets of patients with hemophilia A.
We report the defects responsible for Glanzmann thrombasthenia in two patients showing traces of abnormally migrating platelet beta3 in immunoblotting. Using PCR-SSCP and direct sequencing, we identified a novel homozygous mutation in exon 10 of the beta3 gene of patient 1 which gave a C457 to Y amino acid substitution. A C542 to R substitution in beta3 of patient 2 was previously reported by us. These cysteines are present in EGF-domains 1 and 3 respectively of beta3. We therefore constructed mutants carrying substitutions on cysteine residues in each of the first three EGF domains of beta3, C457, C495 and C542 respectively. Transient expression of these mutants in COS-7 cells, including the C542 and C547 double mutant, proved that disulfide disruption directly affects cell surface expression of the integrin. We then showed by metabolic (35S) labeling and Endo-H glycosidase treatment that these substitutions strongly affected complex maturation within the cell.
This article reports a Glanzmann thrombasthenia (GT) patient, N.M., with a point mutation in the third cysteine-rich repeat of beta3-integrin or platelet glycoprotein (GP) IIIa, leading to the expression of a constitutively activated fibrinogen receptor. The diagnosis of GT was based on a severely reduced platelet-aggregation response to a series of agonists and approximately 20% of surface-expressed GPIIb-IIIa. The patient's GPIIb-IIIa constitutively expressed epitopes recognized by antibodies to ligand-induced binding sites (LIBS) and also spontaneously bound the fibrinogen-mimetic antibody, PAC-1. Furthermore, significant amounts of bound fibrinogen were detected on his platelets ex vivo. No signs of platelet activation were observed on sections of unstimulated platelets from N.M. by electron microscopy. Immunogold labeling highlighted the presence of surface-bound fibrinogen but revealed platelet heterogeneity with regard to the surface density. When the patient's platelets were stimulated by thrombin-receptor activating peptide, amounts of surface-expressed GPIIb-IIIa increased and the aggregation response improved, although it failed to normalize. Platelets from N.M. were able to adhere and spread on immobilized fibrinogen. Sequence analysis of genomic DNA from N.M. revealed a homozygous g1776T>C mutation in GPIIIa, leading to a Cys560Arg amino acid substitution. A stable Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line was prepared expressing surface GPIIb-Arg560IIIa. Like platelets from the patient, GPIIb-Arg560IIIa-transfected CHO cells constitutively bound LIBS antibodies and PAC-1. They also showed an enhanced ability to adhere on surface-bound fibrinogen. Overall, these data demonstrate that a gain-of-function mutation can still be associated with a thrombasthenic phenotype even though platelets show spontaneous fibrinogen binding.
Platelets have a crucial role in the maintenance of normal haemostasis, and perturbations of this system can lead to pathological thrombus formation and vascular occlusion, resulting in stroke, myocardial infarction and unstable angina. ADP released from damaged vessels and red blood cells induces platelet aggregation through activation of the integrin GPIIb-IIIa and subsequent binding of fibrinogen. ADP is also secreted from platelets on activation, providing positive feedback that potentiates the actions of many platelet activators. ADP mediates platelet aggregation through its action on two G-protein-coupled receptor subtypes. The P2Y1 receptor couples to Gq and mobilizes intracellular calcium ions to mediate platelet shape change and aggregation. The second ADP receptor required for aggregation (variously called P2Y(ADP), P2Y(AC), P2Ycyc or P2T(AC)) is coupled to the inhibition of adenylyl cyclase through Gi. The molecular identity of the Gi-linked receptor is still elusive, even though it is the target of efficacious antithrombotic agents, such as ticlopidine and clopidogrel and AR-C66096 (ref. 9). Here we describe the cloning of this receptor, designated P2Y12, and provide evidence that a patient with a bleeding disorder has a defect in this gene. Cloning of the P2Y12 receptor should facilitate the development of better antiplatelet agents to treat cardiovascular diseases.
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Therapy involving the use of anti-GPIIb-IIIa inhibitors has progressively evolved in recent years for patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention or with acute coronary syndromes. Patients receiving anti-GP IIb-IIIa therapy have a lower risk of death or myocardial infarction than those receiving the classic anti-agregant, aspirin, alone. Two classes of products have been used in clinic, the chimeric monoclonal antibody Fab fragment, c7E3 or abciximab (ReoPro), which has been the pioneer, and synthetic peptides or peptidomimetics such as eptifibatide (Integrilin) or tirofiban (Agrastat). Abciximab is a long-acting, high-affinity receptor blocker, whereas eptifibatide and tirofiban have much shorter biological half-lives. Another property that differentiates these compounds is that the peptides bind exclusively to GP IIb-IIIa whereas c7E3 also binds to alpha v beta 3, the vitronectin receptor. The potent inhibitory effect of these compounds increases the risk of bleeding. By carefully controlling the levels of heparin and by removing the sheath as early as possible, the hemorrhagic problems may be limited. Another potential complication is the rapid development of thrombocytopenia. The cause has yet to be found and for c7E3 no correlation with the development of HACA (human anti-chimeric antibodies) has been observed. Because of the chronic nature of coronary artery disease, evaluation of the readministration of c7E3 to the same patient two or even more times is under investigation. The first results do not show major problems. The best biological way to investigate the efficiency of anti-GPIIb-IIIa has to be determined. Interestingly, a new point-of-care test has been proposed, while monoclonal antibodies are available that differentiate between nonoccupied and occupied GPIIb-IIIa complexes.
Inherited platelet defects bleeding syndromes underlie of varying severity. The Bernard-Soulier syndrome and Glanzmann thrombasthenia are disorders of membrane glycoproteins. In the former, a deficiency of the GPIb-IX-V complex leads to defective platelet adhesion, while in thrombasthenia, platelet aggregation does not occur in the absence of the integrin alphaIIbbeta3. Defects of primary receptors for stimuli are increasingly being described, and include a defect of a newly cloned Gi-protein-linked, seven transmembrane domain, ADP receptor. These lead to agonist-specific deficiencies in the platelet function response, as do abnormalities in the many intracellular signaling pathways of platelets. Defects affecting secretion from dense bodies and alpha-granules, of ATP production and generation of procoagulant activity, are also encountered. Some disorders are exclusive to megakaryocytes and platelets, while in others, such as the Chediak-Higashi, Hermansky-Pudlak and Wiskott-Aldrich syndromes; the molecular lesion extends to other cell types. Disorders affecting platelet morphology, the so-called "giant platelet" syndromes should also be considered. In familial thrombocytopenias, platelets are produced in insufficient quantities to assure hemostasis. Platelet disorders are examples of rare diseases; nevertheless they have provided essential information in the elucidation of the molecular basis of platelet function.
Structural changes in blood vessels associated with atherosclerosis are at the onset of arterial thrombosis. Thrombi form at the sites of plaque rupture. Plateletrich masses accumulate in the vessel lumen perturb blood flow, thereby aggravating ischemic syndromes. Other local modifications include the recruitment of cells with inflammatory and immunologic potential, showing how complicated this process is. The demonstration that aspirin lowered the number of thrombotic events was an important step in proving the value of anti-platelet therapy. Since then, newer strategies involving drugs acting on the fibrinogen receptor (the GPIIb-IIIa complex) or on ADP receptors have evolved largely as a result of the increased knowledge of the biological pathways of platelet aggregation. These drugs have given superior results in many international trials and their usefulness in interventional cardiology has been proven. Such encouraging progress also incites efforts to find new and improved targets for anti-platelet therapy as well as testing new associations of existing anti-platelet drugs which may also be used with anticoagulant therapies, and in the future, be combined with drugs directly preventing restenosis.
To analyze the transcriptional activity of the gene encoding the alpha subunit of the platelet integrin alpha(IIb)beta(3) during the hematopoietic differentiation, mice were produced in which the herpes virus thymidine kinase (tk) was introduced in this megakaryocytic specific locus using homologous recombination technology. This provided a convenient manner in which to induce the eradication of particular hematopoietic cells expressing the targeted gene. Results of progenitor cell cultures and long-term bone marrow (BM) assays showed that the growth of a subset of stem cells was reduced in the presence of the antiherpetic drug ganciclovir, demonstrating that the activation of the toxic gene occurs before the commitment to the megakaryocytic lineage. Furthermore the knock-in of the tk gene into the alpha(IIb) locus resulted in the knock-out of the alpha(IIb )gene in homozygous mice. Cultures of BM cells of these animals, combined with ultrastructural analysis, established that the alpha(IIb) glycoprotein is dispensable for lineage commitment and megakaryocytic maturation. Platelets collected from alpha(IIb)-deficient mice failed to bind fibrinogen, to aggregate, and to retract a fibrin clot. Moreover, platelet alpha-granules did not contain fibrinogen. Consistent with these characteristics, the mice displayed bleeding disorders similar to those in humans with Glanzmann thrombasthenia. (Blood. 2000;96:1399-1408)
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Several reports have described the presence of giant platelets in patients with type 2B von Willebrand disease (VWD). We have now characterized the ultrastructural changes in platelets from three unrelated patients with type 2B VWD and different mutations within exon 28 of the von Willebrand factor (VWF) gene. Electron microscopy showed that each of these subjects had an increased proportion of large platelets when compared with those of a patient with type 2A VWD or control subjects. Immunogold labelling for VWF was performed. Large masses detected by anti-VWF antibody were seen not only on the platelet surface, but also inside the platelet surface-connected canalicular system (SCCS) when ultrathin sections were labelled. This suggested translocation of the abnormally bound VWF from the platelet surface. Labelling of the alpha-granules was eccentric as for normal platelets. Labelling for glycoprotein (GP) Ib was seen on the surface and within the SCCS, suggesting co-localization with the bound VWF. However, there was no evidence for VWF in endosomes or other endocytic vesicles. The presence of platelet-bound VWF was not accompanied by high levels of platelet activation, as detected by electron microscopy, or by using monoclonal antibodies against P-selectin or activation-dependent determinants on GP IIb-IIIa in flow cytometry. Intriguingly, platelet ultrastructure often resembled that seen in patients with congenital thrombocytopathies characteristic of giant platelet syndromes.
The treatment of bleeds in Glanzmann's thrombasthenia is a challenging issue, especially when repeated platelet transfusions have induced anti-glycoprotein (GP) IIb-IIIa or anti-HLA allo-immunisation. In an attempt to find an alternative treatment regimen, we used recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa, NovoSeven, Novo Nordisk, Denmark) as first-line therapy in 3 patients with Glanzmann's thrombasthenia and anti-GPIIb-IIIa iso-antibodies who were scheduled for invasive procedures. The administration of an initial bolus dose of rFVIIa (70-110 microg/kg) was immediately followed by continuous infusion at the rate of 9-30 microg/kg/h for 3-15 days. The treatment resulted in an excellent clinical efficacy and tolerance in 2 cases. In the third patient, whereas efficacy was excellent at the surgical site, pharyngonasal bleeds of traumatic origin persisted for 10 days, and a severe thromboembolic complication occurred 5 days after discontinuation of rFVIIa. Complementary studies are needed for patients with congenital platelet disorders in order to evaluate the safety and the potential therapeutic place of rFVIIa treatment.
Lesions in the genes for GPIb alpha, GPIb beta or GPIX result in a bleeding diathesis, the Bernard-Soulier syndrome (BSS), which associates a platelet adhesion defect with thrombocytopenia, giant platelets and abnormal megakaryocytes (MK). The role of GPV, also absent in BSS, was recently addressed by gene targeting in mice. While a negative modulator function for GPV on thrombin-induced platelet responses was found in one model, the absence of GP V had no effect on GPIb-IX expression or platelet adhesion. Our study extends previous results and reports that electron microscopy of bone marrow from the GPV knockout mice revealed a normal MK ultrastructure and development of the demarcation membrane system (DMS). There was a usual presence of MK fragments in the bone marrow vascular sinus. Immunogold labelling of MK from the knockout mice showed a normal distribution of GPIb-IX in the DMS and on the cell surface. The distribution of fibrinogen, vWF and P-selectin was unchanged with, interestingly, P-selectin also localised within the DMS in both situations. Thus GPV is not crucial to MK development and platelet production, consistent with the fact that no mutation in the GPV gene has as yet been described in BSS.
The only known function of the 41 amino acid cleaved peptide (TR1-41) of the seven transmembrane domain thrombin receptor (PARI) is to activate platelets (as determined by aggregation, surface P-selectin, and fibrinogen binding to activated GPIIb-IIIa). We now demonstrate that TR1-41 results in a concentration-dependent decrease in the platelet surface expression of each component of the GPIb-IX-V complex, as determined by flow cytometry with a panel of monoclonal antibodies (including 6D1, directed against the von Willebrand factor binding site on GPIbalpha, and TM60, directed against the thrombin binding site on GPIbalpha). TR1-41 also decreased ristocetin-induced platelet agglutination. Immunoblotting after incubation of platelets with TR1-41 revealed neither a loss of platelet GPIb nor increase in supernatant GPIb fragments. As demonstrated by immunoelectron microscopy, TR1-41 resulted in a redistribution of GPIb, GPIX, and GPV from the platelet surface to the surface-connected canalicular system (SCCS). In summary, the cleaved peptide (TR1-41) of PAR1 results in a redistribution of the platelet surface GPIb-IX-V complex to the SCCS, thereby negatively regulating the GPIbalpha binding sites for von Willebrand factor and thrombin.
We have investigated the type of platelet defect that can be detected with the Hemostatus test performed with the Hepcon/HMS instrument (Medtronic) designed to investigate platelet function during and after surgery. This assay is based on the comparison of the activated clotting time of whole blood measured in cartridges containing kaolin or kaolin and platelet-activating factor in different concentrations. Addition of platelet-activating factor shortened the blood activated clotting time when the platelet counts were normal. However, when platelet counts were below 70000/microL, the activated clotting time was prolonged in all channels including those without platelet-activating factor showing the influence of platelets in the formation of the clot under the conditions tested. Inhibition of platelet aggregation with c7E3 (abciximab, ReoPro) also induced a much-prolonged activated clotting time, and a similar finding was seen with blood from a patient with Glanzmann's thrombasthenia confirming the need for platelet aggregation and/or the glycoprotein (GP) IIb-IIIa complex. In contrast, the interaction of GP Ib with von Willebrand Factor was not of major importance, since inhibition of this interaction with the anti-GP Ib murine monoclonal antibody, ALMA-12, did not modify the activated clotting time. Furthermore, the activated clotting time measured for patients with an acquired defect in von Willebrand Factor activity were unchanged. Finally, inhibition of thromboxane A2 formation by aspirin did not influence the results of this test. Globally, the Hemostatus test was able to detect major abnormalities of GP IIb-IIIa function in the presence or absence of platelet-activating factor.