Multiple agonist induction of aggregation: an approach to examine anti-aggregating effectsin vitro

Potential Protective Role of Blood Pressure-Lowering Drugs on the Balance between Hemostasis and Fibrinolysis in Hypertensive Patients at Rest and During Exercise

In patients with hypertension, the triad represented by endothelial dysfunction, platelet hyperactivity, and altered fibrinolytic function disturbs the equilibrium between hemostasis and fibrinolysis and translates into a hypercoagulable state, which underlies the risk of thrombotic complications. This article reviews the scientific evidence regarding some biological effects of antihypertensive drugs, which can protect patients from the adverse consequences of hypertensive disease, improving endothelial function, enhancing antioxidant activity, and restoring equilibrium between hemostatic and fibrinolytic factors. These protective effects appear not to be mediated through blood pressure reduction and are not shared by all molecules of the same pharmacological class.

Platelets and Cardiovascular Disease

Platelets play an important, but often under-recognized role in cardiovascular disease. For example, the normal response of the platelet can be altered, either by increased pro-aggregatory stimuli or by diminished anti-aggregatory substances to produce conditions of increased platelet activation/aggregation and occur in active cardiovascular disease states both on a chronic (e.g. stable angina pectoris) and acute basis (e.g. acute myocardial infarction). In addition, platelet hyperaggregability is also associated with the risk factors for coronary artery disease (e.g. smoking, hypertension, and hypercholesterolaemia). Finally, the utility of an increasing range of anti-platelet therapies in the management of the above disease states further emphasizes the pivotal role platelets play in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the normal physiologic role of platelets in maintain homeostasis, the pathophysiologic processes that contribute to platelet dysfunction in cardiovascular disease and the associated role and benefits of anti-platelet therapies.

Gender and tachycardia: independent modulation of platelet reactivity in patients with atrial fibrillation

Background

Female patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) experience increased risk of thromboembolism compared to males, an observation that is reflected by its inclusion in the CHA₂DS₂VASc score. New onset AF (often associated with tachycardia) also confers upon patients increased thromboembolic risk. The mechanisms underlying this risk are uncertain, but new onset AF is associated with profound impairment of platelet nitric oxide (NO) signalling. Given that cardiovascular responses to catecholamines are gender-dependent, and that the presence of tachycardia in new onset AF may represent a response to catecholaminergic stimulation, we explored the potential impact of gender and tachycardia on platelet aggregation and NO signalling.

Methods

Interactions were sought in 87 AF patients between the extent of adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-induced platelet aggregation, the anti-aggregatory effects of the NO donor, sodium nitroprusside, gender, and admission heart rate. The potential impact of platelet expression of thioredoxin-interacting protein (Txnip) was also evaluated.

Results

Analysis of covariance confirmed the presence of physiological antagonism between platelet ADP and NO responses [F (1, 74) = 12.212, P < 0.01], while female sex correlated with impaired NO responses independent of platelet aggregability [F (2, 74) = 8.313, P < 0.01]. Admission heart rate correlated directly with platelet aggregation (r = 0.235, P < 0.05), and inversely with NO response (r = −0.331, P < 0.01). Txnip expression varied neither with gender nor with heart rate.

Conclusions

These results indicate that gender and heart rate are independent determinants of platelet function. Prospective studies of the putative benefit of reversal of tachycardia on restoration of normal platelet function are therefore a priority.

Measurement of collagen- and serotonin-induced platelet aggregation in whole blood

Upon erosion and rupture of an atherosclerotic plaque, collagen and serotonin (5-hydroxytyramine [5-HT]) induce a process of simultaneous platelet aggregation and vasoconstriction. Simultaneous inhibition of these pathophysiological processes, attainable by 5-HT inhibition, is a potential drug target and could offer an attractive treatment modality. The availability of a reliable and accurate test to measure inhibition of 5-HT-induced platelet aggregation would facilitate the rational development of such new compounds. Therefore, we developed a validated method to measure the additive effect of 5-HT on platelet aggregation in human whole blood after an initial induction by a low-concentration collagen, using impedance aggregometry. This method is feasible to measure 5-HT-induced platelet aggregation in whole blood for the evaluation of promising platelet aggregation inhibitors possessing 5-HT antagonistic activity. The availability of this method will support and stimulate selective 5-HT antagonism as effective management of thrombosis.

Preservation of platelet responsiveness to nitroglycerine despite development of vascular nitrate tolerance

AIMS

Organic nitrates, via nitric oxide (NO) release, induce vasodilatation and inhibit platelet aggregation. Development of nitrate tolerance in some vascular preparations may be associated with diminished responsiveness to NO. To date it is not known to what extent vascular tolerance to organic nitrates is associated with acquired platelet hypo-responsiveness to NO. In the current study we compared the acute and chronic effects of sustained release (SR) isosorbide 5' mono-nitrate (ISMN) and transdermal nitroglycerine (TD-NTG) on blood vessels (effects on apparent arterial stiffness) and platelets (effects on responsiveness to NO donors) in patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP).

METHODS

Patients (n = 34) with SAP entered a blinded randomized crossover study of ISMN (120 mg) vs. intermittent TD-NTG (15 mg 24 h(-1)). Effects of each nitrate on pulse wave reflection (augmentation index (AIx)), platelet response to adenosine di-phosphate (ADP 1 micromol l(-1)), nitroglycerine (NTG 100 micromol l(-1)) and the non-nitrate NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP 10 micromol l(-1)), were measured pre-dose, 4 and 8 h post dose, on three occasions: 1) at the end of a pre-nitrate phase, 2) after dosing for 7 days and 3) following 14 days of full dose therapy with either nitrate.

RESULTS

Acutely, both ISMN and TD-NTG markedly reduced AIx. After 14 days, these effects were significantly attenuated (ANOVA, P = 0.018) but not abolished, indicating development of nitrate tolerance. Neither nitrate preparation affected ADP (1 micromol l(-1))-induced platelet aggregation. Platelet responsiveness to NTG (100 micromol l(-1)) and SNP (10 micromol l(-1)) was not diminished during chronic nitrate therapy, and there was no evidence of 'rebound' hyper-aggregability during 'nitrate-free' periods.

CONCLUSIONS

Chronic therapy with either ISMN or TD-NTG is associated with development of vascular tolerance. Despite the induction of vascular tolerance, platelet responsiveness to NTG and SNP remains unaffected. Therefore, development of vascular tolerance is unlikely to compromise the anti-aggregatory effects of organic nitrates, or those of endogenous NO.

Inhibition of long-chain fatty acid metabolism does not affect platelet aggregation responses

A number of anti-anginal agents (perhexiline, amiodarone, trimetazidine) have been shown to inhibit myocardial carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1, which controls access of long-chain fatty acids to mitochondrial sites of beta-oxidation. In view of clinical data suggesting that perhexiline improves symptomatic status in unstable angina pectoris, and the known role of mitochondrial beta-oxidation in platelet metabolism, we compared the platelet carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 inhibitory and putative anti-aggregatory effects of perhexiline, amiodarone and trimetazidine with those of specific carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 inhibitors: etomoxir and hydroxyphenylglyoxylate in both normal subjects and patients with stable angina. All of the compounds examined inhibited platelet carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 activity; rank order of potency etomoxir > malonyl-CoA > hydroxyphenylglyoxylate > amiodarone > or = perhexiline > trimetazidine. However, only perhexiline, amiodarone and trimetazidine inhibited platelet aggregation. We conclude that (a) the carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 inhibitors perhexiline, amiodarone and trimetazidine exert significant anti-aggregatory effects which may be therapeutically relevant and, (b) these effects are independent of carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 inhibition.