Concomitant activation of G_i and G_q protein‐coupled receptors does not require an increase in cytosolic calcium for platelet aggregation

Abstract

U46619 is a potent platelet agonist, its binding to the thromboxane A2 receptor resulting in Gq-binding protein-mediated responses; nevertheless, it is unable to cause platelet aggregation, unless released ADP is present. In this study we demonstrate that Gi activation is the step U46619 lacks to cause platelet aggregation; in fact, when platelets were treated with an ADP scavenger system, the response to U46619 was restored by the addition of epinephrine, which activates platelets via a Gi protein. The concomitant activation of Gi and Gq proteins does not require increased cytosolic calcium to cause aggregation, as assessed by the fact that platelets treated with the intracellular calcium chelator BAPTA were able to respond to U46619 provided ADP or epinephrine was present. Moreover, as the calcium ionophore ionomycin, at low concentrations, potentiated the response to U46619 but not to epinephrine, we may conclude that calcium influx preferentially activates a Gi downstream signalling pathway.