Possible Roles for Protein Phosphorylation in Platelet Responses

Abstract

The relationships between the phosphorylation of specific platelet polypeptides and platelet function were studied using washed human platelets labelled by preincubation with [32p] Pi. Platelet polypeptides were separated by SDS-PAGE and 32P incorporation into them determined by autoradiography. Whereas induction of platelet aggregation alone did not affect protein phosphorylation, induction of the release reaction increased 3P incorporation into several polypeptides (P75,P47,P40,P27,P20,P19), including the P-light chain of platelet myosin (P20). These changes were inhibited by drugs that blocked Ca2 movements and may be due to activation of Ca2+-dependent protein kinases. Compounds that inhibited platelet function by increasing cyclic AMP (e.g. PCE1) also suppressed these reactions but, in addition, increased phosphorylation of other polypeptides (P50,P49,P36,P24,P22). Type I and Type II cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases were present in platelets and may mediate Che latter effects of cyclic AMP. Subcellular fractionation of 32p-labelled platelets that had been exposed to PCE1 showed that P24 was present in membranes that could take up Ca2+ by an ATP-dependent mechanism. Membranes from PCE1-treated platelets took up Ca2+ more rapidly than control membranes. Thus, the cyclic AMP-dependent phosphorylation of P24 may stimulate the removal of Ca2+ from platelet cytosol and suppress Ca2+-dependent phosphorylation reactions necessary for release of granule constituents.