Thrombopoietin (TPO) regulates stem cell proliferation and maturation of megakaryocytes
by activating the c-Mpl-receptor, a member of the hematopoietic cytokine family. As
human platelets possess c-Mplreceptors and supraphysiological concentrations of TPO
trigger platelet aggregation and secretion, we searched for the signalling pathways
through which the c-Mpl-receptor might activate platelets. A physiological concentration
of TPO (20 ng/mL) did not trigger platelet functions, but increased their sensitivity
to α-thrombin resulting in a 4-fold faster dense granule secretion. The effect of
TPO was abolished by indomethacin and caused by synergism with signal generation by
α-thrombin at the level of the cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) pathway resulting in more arachidonate release, cPLA2 phosphorylation and thromboxane A2 formation. A similar synergism was seen at the level of extracellular signal-regulated
kinase 2 (ERK2 or p42-MAPK). These data suggest, that TPO increases the sensitivity
of platelets to α-thrombin by enhancing cPLA2 activation via the ERK2-cPLA2 pathway.
Keywords
Thrombopoietin - platelet sensitisation - cytosolic phospholipase A
2
- thromboxane A
2
- extracellular signal-regulated kinase