Dissolution of arterial platelet thrombi in vivo with a bifunctional platelet GPIIIa49-66 ligand which specifically targets the platelet thrombus.

Patients with HIV-1 immune-related thrombocytopenia have a unique antibody (Ab) against integrin GPIIIa49-66 capable of inducing oxidative platelet fragmentation via Ab activation of platelet nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase and 12-lipoxygenase releasing reactive oxygen species. Using a phage display single-chain antibody (scFv) library, we developed a novel human monoclonal scFv Ab against GPIIIa49-66 (named A11) capable of inducing fragmentation of activated platelets. In this study, we investigated the in vivo use of A11.

Role of thrombin as a tumor growth factor.

The clinical observation that thrombosis in some patients heralds the onset of malignancy has been recognized for over a century. Thrombin the key terminal enzyme of coagulation also promotes angiogenesis and stimulates tumor-platelet adhesion, adhesion to endothelium, tumor implantation, tumor cell growth and metastasis. The thrombin receptor, a member of the protease-activated receptor family, is expressed on many tumor cell lines and on breast tumor biopsy specimens.

Thrombin induces tumor cell cycle activation and spontaneous growth by down-regulation of p27Kip1, in association with the up-regulation of Skp2 and MiR-222.

The effect of thrombin on tumor cell cycle activation and spontaneous growth was examined in synchronized serum-starved tumor cell lines and a model of spontaneous prostate cancer development in TRAMP mice. BrdUrd incorporation and propidium iodide staining of prostate LNCaP cells arrested in G(0) and treated with thrombin or serum revealed a 48- and 29-fold increase in S phase cells, respectively, at 8 hours. Similar results were obtained with TRAMP cells and a glioblastoma cell line, T98G.

C-terminal ADAMTS-18 fragment induces oxidative platelet fragmentation, dissolves platelet aggregates, and protects against carotid artery occlusion and cerebral stroke.

Anti-platelet integrin GPIIIa49-66 antibody (Ab) induces complement-independent platelet oxidative fragmentation and death by generation of platelet peroxide following NADPH oxidase activation. A C-terminal 385-amino acid fragment of ADAMTS-18 (a disintegrin metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs produced in endothelial cells) induces oxidative platelet fragmentation in an identical kinetic fashion as anti-GPIIIa49-66 Ab. Endothelial cell ADAMTS-18 secretion is enhanced by thrombin and activated by thrombin cleavage to fragment platelets.