Amyloid precursor protein is required for in vitro platelet adhesion to amyloid peptides and potentiation of thrombus formation

TY - JOUR

T1 - Amyloid precursor protein is required for in vitro platelet adhesion to amyloid peptides and potentiation of thrombus formation

AU - Visconte, Caterina

AU - Canino, Jessica

AU - Guidetti, Gianni Francesco

AU - Zarà, Marta

AU - Seppi, Claudio

AU - Abubaker, Aisha Alsheikh

AU - Pula, Giordano

AU - Torti, Mauro

AU - Canobbio, Ilaria

N1 - Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PY - 2018/12

Y1 - 2018/12

N2 - Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is the precursor of amyloid β (Aβ) peptides, whose accumulation in the brain is associated with Alzheimer's disease. APP is also expressed on the platelet surface and Aβ peptides are platelet agonists. The physiological role of APP is largely unknown. In neurons, APP acts as an adhesive receptor, facilitating integrin-mediated cell adhesion, while in platelets it regulates coagulation and venous thrombosis. In this work, we analyzed platelets from APP KO mice to investigate whether membrane APP supports platelet adhesion to physiological and pathological substrates. We found that APP-null platelets adhered and spread normally on collagen, von Willebrand Factor or fibrinogen. However, adhesion on immobilized Aβ peptides Aβ1-40, Aβ1-42 and Aβ25-35 was completely abolished in platelets lacking APP. By contrast, platelet activation and aggregation induced by Aβ peptides occurred normally in the absence of APP. Adhesion of APP-transfected HEK293 to Aβ peptides was significantly higher than that of control cells expressing low levels of APP. Co-coating of Aβ1-42 and Aβ25-35 with collagen strongly potentiated platelet adhesion when whole blood from wild type mice was perfused at arterial shear rate, but had no effects with blood from APP KO mice. These results demonstrate that APP selectively mediates platelet adhesion to Aβ under static condition but not platelet aggregation, and is responsible for Aβ-promoted potentiation of thrombus formation under flow. Therefore, APP may facilitate an early step in thrombus formation when Aβ peptides accumulate in cerebral vessel walls or atherosclerotic plaques.

AB - Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is the precursor of amyloid β (Aβ) peptides, whose accumulation in the brain is associated with Alzheimer's disease. APP is also expressed on the platelet surface and Aβ peptides are platelet agonists. The physiological role of APP is largely unknown. In neurons, APP acts as an adhesive receptor, facilitating integrin-mediated cell adhesion, while in platelets it regulates coagulation and venous thrombosis. In this work, we analyzed platelets from APP KO mice to investigate whether membrane APP supports platelet adhesion to physiological and pathological substrates. We found that APP-null platelets adhered and spread normally on collagen, von Willebrand Factor or fibrinogen. However, adhesion on immobilized Aβ peptides Aβ1-40, Aβ1-42 and Aβ25-35 was completely abolished in platelets lacking APP. By contrast, platelet activation and aggregation induced by Aβ peptides occurred normally in the absence of APP. Adhesion of APP-transfected HEK293 to Aβ peptides was significantly higher than that of control cells expressing low levels of APP. Co-coating of Aβ1-42 and Aβ25-35 with collagen strongly potentiated platelet adhesion when whole blood from wild type mice was perfused at arterial shear rate, but had no effects with blood from APP KO mice. These results demonstrate that APP selectively mediates platelet adhesion to Aβ under static condition but not platelet aggregation, and is responsible for Aβ-promoted potentiation of thrombus formation under flow. Therefore, APP may facilitate an early step in thrombus formation when Aβ peptides accumulate in cerebral vessel walls or atherosclerotic plaques.

KW - Alzheimer Disease/metabolism

KW - Amyloid beta-Peptides/metabolism

KW - Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor/genetics

KW - Animals

KW - Blood Platelets/metabolism

KW - Cell Adhesion

KW - HEK293 Cells

KW - Humans

KW - Mice

KW - Mice, Inbred C57BL

KW - Mice, Knockout

KW - Platelet Activation

KW - Platelet Adhesiveness

KW - Platelet Aggregation

KW - Thrombosis/metabolism

U2 - 10.1016/j.cellsig.2018.08.017

DO - 10.1016/j.cellsig.2018.08.017

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 30172024

VL - 52

SP - 95

EP - 102

JO - CELL SIGNAL

JF - CELL SIGNAL

SN - 0898-6568

ER -