These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.
Pubmed for Handhelds
PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS
Search MEDLINE/PubMed
Title: Platelet release reaction and aggregation induced by canatoxin, a convulsant protein: evidence for the involvement of the platelet lipoxygenase pathway. Author: Carlini CR, Guimarães JA, Ribeiro JM. Journal: Br J Pharmacol; 1985 Feb; 84(2):551-60. PubMed ID: 3919794. Abstract: Canatoxin is a toxic protein isolated from Canavalia ensiformis seeds. It induces death preceded by convulsions of spinal cord origin and also produces in vitro aggregation of platelets in rabbit, human and guinea-pig plasma. The aggregating effect is dose-dependent at nanomolar concentrations. Rabbit platelets pretreated with canatoxin became refractory to a second exposure to this protein or to collagen, but were still responsive to ADP, Paf-acether or arachidonic acid. [14C]-5-hydroxytryptamine was released from pre-labelled platelets on stimulation with canatoxin. Washed rabbit platelets, but not thrombin-degranulated ones, aggregated on stimulation with canatoxin provided that fibrinogen was added before the toxin. Canatoxin's pro-aggregating activity was inhibited by mepacrine, EDTA, caffeine, prostacyclin, adenosine monophosphate and also by the ADP scavenger system, creatine phosphokinase/creatine phosphate. Furthermore, 3-amino-1-[m-(trifluoromethyl)-phenyl]-2-pyrazoline (BW 755C), eicosatetraynoic acid (ETYA) and nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) were potent inhibitors of canatoxin-induced aggregation. In contrast, no inhibition was seen with indomethacin. The data indicate that canatoxin is mainly a release-reaction-promoting agent, being devoid of any direct aggregating activity. Thus the aggregation is totally dependent on the release of ADP. Furthermore, canatoxin-induced platelet activation is probably dependent on platelet phospholipase A2 and lipoxygenase activity but is not dependent on cyclo-oxygenase products or the release of Paf-acether.[Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]