Summary
P2Y12 receptor antagonists are antithrombotic agents that inhibit platelet function by
blocking the effects of adenosine diphosphate (ADP) at P2Y12 receptors. However, some P2Y12 receptor antagonists may affect platelet function through additional mechanisms.
It was the objective of this study to investigate the possibility that P2Y12 antagonists inhibit platelet function through interaction with G-protein-coupled
receptors other than P2Y12 receptors. We compared the effects of cangrelor, ticagrelor and the prasugrel active
metabolite on platelet aggregation and on phosphorylation of vasodilator-stimulated
phosphoprotein (VASP). We compared their effects with those of selective IP, EP4 and
A2A agonists, which act at Gs-coupled receptors. All three P2Y12 antagonists were strong inhibitors of ADP-induced platelet aggregation but only partial
inhibitors of aggregation induced by thrombin receptor activating peptide (TRAP) or
the thromboxane A2 mimetic U46619. Further, after removing ADP and its metabolites using apyrase and
adenosine deaminase, the P2Y12 antagonists produced only minor additional inhibition of TRAP or U46619-induced aggregation.
Conversely, the Gs-coupled receptor agonists always produced strong inhibition of aggregation irrespective
of whether ADP was removed. Other experiments using selective receptor agonists and
antagonists provided no evidence of any of the P2Y12 antagonists acting through PAR1, TP, IP, EP4, A2A or EP3 receptors. All three P2Y12 antagonists enhanced VASPphosphorylation to a small and equal extent but the effects
were much smaller than those of the IP, EP4 and A2A agonists. The effects of cangrelor, ticagrelor and prasugrel on platelet function
are mediated mainly through P2Y12 receptors and not through another G-protein-coupled receptor.
Keywords
ADP - G
s-coupled receptors - platelet aggregation - P2Y
12 antagonists - VASP phosphorylation