Unresponsiveness of platelets lacking both Gαq and Gα13 -: Implications for collagen-induced platelet activation

The diffusible platelet stimuli ADP and thromboxane A(2) activate multiple G protein-mediated signaling pathways and function as important secondary mediators of platelet activation as they are released from activated platelets. Because they can also increase their own formation and release, their effects are amplified; eventually, all major G protein-mediated signaling pathways are activated. The multiple positive feedback mechanisms operating during platelet activation have obscured the exact analysis of the roles individual G protein-mediated signaling pathways play during the platelet activation process. In this report, we show that platelets lacking G(q) and G(13) are completely unresponsive to diffusible stimuli such as ADP, thromboxane A(2), or thrombin, even when applied at very high concentrations in combination, whereas all stimuli are able to induce platelet aggregation, shape change, and RhoA activation in platelets lacking only one Galpha subunit. This shows that G(q) or G(13) is required to induce some platelet activation, whereas the activation of G(i)-mediated signaling alone is not sufficient to induce activation of mouse platelets. In addition, platelets lacking Galpha(q) and Galpha(13) adhered normally to collagen under high shear but did not aggregate any more in response to collagen, indicating that collagen-induced platelet activation but not platelet adhesion requires intact G protein-mediated signaling pathways.