title: New developments in anti-platelet therapies: potential use of CD39/vascular ATP diphosphohydrolase in thrombotic disorders.
abstract: Abnormal platelet reactivity has been linked to unstable angina, myocardial infarction, post angioplasty stenosis, cerebral ischemia, thrombotic stroke and a variety of inflammatory vascular disorders associated with transplantation. Drugs that inhibit blood coagulation, promote fibrinolysis or block platelet activation are important therapeutic agents in cardiovascular medicine. However, many of the current antiplatelet modalities are nonspecific, ineffective or associated with severe side effects that limit their usefulness. In this article, we discuss some basic aspects of platelet pathophysiology to illustrate the importance of ADP stimulation and signaling in platelet activation. CD39, the ATP diphosphohydrolase (ATPDase) expressed on quiescent vascular endothelium, modulates platelet purinoreceptor activity by the sequential hydrolysis of extracellular ATP or ADP directly to AMP. This thromboregulatory potential of CD39 has been recently demonstrated by the generation of mutant mice with disruption of the gene, and by a series of experiments where high level ATPDase expression has been attained by adenoviral vectors in the injured vasculature. Systemic administration of soluble derivatives of CD39 or targeted expression of the native protein to sites of vascular injury may have future therapeutic application.
authors.affiliation: Center for Immunobiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Qawi
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Robson
mesh_terms: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001081:Apyrase / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004176:Dipyridamole / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D015539:Platelet Activation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010980:Platelet Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D010980:Platelet Membrane Glycoproteins; D004176:Dipyridamole; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; D001081:Apyrase; C067869:CD39 antigen