Electron microscopic cytochemistry on the distribution of wheat germ agglutinin receptor on the platelet plasma membrane after treatment with convulxin isolated from Crotalus durissus terrificus venom

Cloning of subunits of convulxin, a collagen-like platelet-aggregating protein from Crotalus durissus terrificus venom

Convulxin (CVX) is a potent platelet-aggregating glycoprotein from the venom of the snake Crotalus durissus terrificus. It consists of two subunits, alpha and beta, joined by disulphide bridges in a hexameric structure. A cDNA library from venom gland was constructed in the vector pT3T7. The cloned cDNAs encoding the two chains of CVX were sequenced. Both are preceded by an identical 23-amino acid peptide signal sequence and encode sequences of 135 amino acids for the alpha chain and 125 amino acids for the beta chain. These polypeptides include a carbohydrate-recognition domain (CRD) in which some of the specific amino acids required for binding Ca2+ and galactose or mannose are absent. The presence of such a domain means that CVX can be included in the family of C-type lectins along with other snake venom proteins, although it is not a true lectin. Assuming that the localization of intracatenary disulphide bridges of each CVX chain is similar to that of the CRD and that an intercatenary bridge between the alpha and beta chains is similar to that of the C-type lectin botrocetin, we postulate the existence of an additional intercatenary bridge, which explains the tridimeric structure (alphabeta)3 of CVX.

cAMP does not inhibit convulxin-induced tyrosyl-phosphorylation of human platelet proteins, including PLCgamma2, but completely blocks the integrin alphaIIb beta3-dependent dephosphorylation step: comparisons with RGDS peptide, cytochalasin D, and phenylarsine oxide

Convulxin (Cvx) isolated from Crotalus durissus terrificus venom, induces platelet aggregation, phospholipase C (PLC) activation, and tyrosyl-phosphorylation (PTP) of multiple proteins, including PLCgamma2 by a mechanism independent of integrin alphaIIb beta3. However, PTP induced by Cvx is followed by a dephosphorylation step in a platelet aggregation-dependent manner. Here we show that increasing intraplatelet content of cAMP with forskolin is associated with the inhibition of Cvx-induced platelet aggregation, ATP secretion, and inositol-phosphates production. However, the early onset of Cvx-induced PTP is not sensitive to cAMP (including PLCgamma2), and it also occurs in the presence of integrin alphaIIb beta3-antagonist (RGDS peptide, RGDS) or inhibitors of actin polymerization (cytochalasin D, CD) and tyrosine-phosphatases (phenylarsine oxide, PAO). However, forskolin, RGDS, and CD prevented the dephosphorylation step together with inhibition of platelet aggregation, whereas in the presence of phenylarsine oxide (PAO) the dephosphorylation step was replaced by an increase in the number and intensity of tyrosyl-phosphorylated proteins. Our data provide evidence to conclude that (i) cAMP inhibits platelet aggregation at a downstream site to PLCgamma2 tyrosyl-phosphorylation; (ii) Cvx-induced PTP is independent on integrin alphaIIb beta3 engagement, actin polymerization, and tyrosine-phosphatases activation; (iii) integrin alphaIIb beta3 mediates the dephosphorylation step in a platelet aggregation-dependent manner; and (iv) Cvx and collagen stimulate platelets by a similar signal transduction pathway.

Adhesion and activation of human platelets induced by convulxin involve glycoprotein VI and integrin alpha2beta1

We analyzed the interaction of convulxin (Cvx), a 72-kDa protein isolated from the venom of Crotalus durissus terrificus, with human platelets. Cvx is a potent platelet agonist that induces an increase in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), granule exocytosis and aggregation. 125I-Labeled Cvx binds specifically and rapidly to platelets at binding sites of high and moderate affinity. Platelets adhere to immobilized Cvx in a time-dependent but cation-independent manner. Platelet exocytosis and aggregation induced by Cvx were inhibited by an anti-integrin alpha2beta1 monoclonal antibody (6F1) and by the Fab fragments of a polyclonal anti-glycoprotein VI (GPVI) antibody. Both the adhesion of platelets to Cvx and the Cvx-induced increase in [Ca2+]i were inhibited by anti-GPVI Fab fragments but not by 6F1. Ligand blotting assay showed that 125I-Cvx binds to a 57-kDa platelet protein with an electrophoretic mobility identical to that of GPVI. In addition, we observed the following: (i) 125I-Cvx binds to GPVI immunoprecipitated by the anti-GPVI antibody from a platelet lysate, and (ii) Cvx inhibits the binding of anti-GPVI IgG to GPVI. Taken together, these results demonstrate that GPVI behaves as a Cvx receptor and that the alpha2beta1 integrin appears to be involved in the later stages of Cvx-induced platelet activation, i.e. exocytosis and aggregation.

Convulxin, a potent platelet-aggregating protein from Crotalus durissus terrificus venom, specifically binds to platelets

Convulxin, a very potent aggregating protein from rattlesnake venom, was purified by a new procedure and its heterodimeric structure alpha 3 beta 3 was confirmed. The polypeptide N-terminal sequences of convulxin subunits were determined by Edman degradation. They are very similar and appear homologous to botrocetin from Bothrops jararaca venom and to rattlesnake lectin from Crotalus atrox venom, both being classified among the C-type lectin family. The binding of 125I-labelled convulxin to blood platelets has also been analysed under equilibrium conditions. These studies indicated that convulxin binds to platelets with a high affinity (Kd = 30 pM) on a small number of binding sites (1000 binding sites per cell). The high-affinity binding of convulxin appears specific to platelets, since it is not observed on other cell types such as neutrophils and erythrocytes. Also, the high-affinity binding of convulxin to membranes platelet is not inhibited by alpha-thrombin, fibrinogen, collagen, laminin binding inhibitor, RGDS peptide, adenosine diphosphate, platelet-activating factor-acether, serotonin or epinephrine. This, together with the recent observation that platelet activation by convulxin is partially mediated by phospholipase C and involves other mechanisms as well, indicates that convulxin may interact with a specific platelet acceptor (receptor) protein which has yet to be characterized.

Convulxin-induced platelet aggregation is accompanied by a powerful activation of the phospholipase C pathway

Platelet aggregation and stimulation of phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PLC) by thrombin and by convulxin (Cvx), a non-enzymic snake venom glycoprotein, were compared. Cvx-stimulated production of inositol phosphates by washed platelets was independent of the cyclo-oxygenase pathway, formation of platelet-activating factor and ADP release, but prostacyclin (prostaglandin I2), a stimulator of cyclic AMP formation, suppressed its effects on platelet and PLC activation. Kinetic analysis showed that inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate formation reached its maximal value 15 s after platelet stimulation with Cvx and persisted for at least 5 min. Neomycin sulphate (10 mM), which complexes phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate and phosphatidyl-inositol 4,5-bisphosphate, decreased the production of inositol phosphates, partially prevented platelet aggregation induced by a high concentration of Cvx (10 nM) and abolished both platelet aggregation and inositol phosphate formation induced by thrombin (2 units/ml) and by a stable prostaglandin H2 analogue, U46619 (1 microM). In contrast with neomycin sulphate, Na2SO4 had no significant effect against all agonists tested. It is concluded that platelet activation by Cvx is partially mediated by PLC and involves other mechanisms as well.