MECHANISMS OF PLATELET AGGREGATION BY ACIDIC MUCOPOLYSACCHARIDE EXTRACTED FROM STICHOPUS JAPONICUS SELENKA IN HUMANS AND RABBITS

Abstract

It has been reported that acidic mucopolysaccharide extracted from sea cucumber (Stichopus japonicus selenka) (SJAMP) induced the aggregation of human and animal platelets by an unknown mechanism, using platelet-rich plasma (prp) and washed human and rabbit platelets we studied the effects of storage, platelet inhibitors, and various plasmas and their fractions on SJAMP-induced platelet aggregation. we found that the lowest concentrations of SJAMP required for aggregation of human and rabbit platelets were 0.4 and 2 ug/ml respectively. The reactivity of human platelets to SJAMP decreased with time after drawing of blood; rabbit platelets did not show this phenomenon. Platelet inhibitors such as aspirin, indomethacin, apyrase, antimycin, 2-deoxy-D-glucose, and EDTA inhibited by 50 to 100% the aggregation of human platelets induced by SJAMP; but these inhibitors had no effect on SJAMP-induced aggregation of rabbit platelets. Washed human and rabbit platelets were not aggregated by SJAMP. The aggregation of washed human platelets by SJAMP was restored completely by human or rabbit plasma, by human fibrinogen, or by 0 to 30% saturated ammonium sulfate fraction but not by serum. The aggregation of rabbit platelets by SJAMP could only be restored by rabbit plasma or serum, or by 50 to 60% saturated ammonium sulfate fraction. The data indicate that the mechanisms of aggregation of human and rabbit platelets by SJAMP are different. THe SJAMP-induced human platelet aggregation is dependent upon metabolism, release of ADP and the cyclooxygenase pathway requiring fibrinogen and Ca++. The aggregation of rabbit platelets induced by SJAMP is independent of metabolism, release of ADP and cyclooxygenase pathway, and does not require fibrinogen and Ca++, but needs certain protein(s) in the 50 to 60% saturated ammonium sulfate fraction of rabbit plasma.