Connexin40 regulates platelet function

Sakthivel Vaiyapuri, Leonardo A. Moraes, Tanya Sage, Marfoua S. Ali, Kirsty R. Lewis, Martyn P. Mahaut-Smith, Ernesto Oviedo-Orta, Alexander M. Simon and Jonathan M. Gibbins ()
Additional contact information
Sakthivel Vaiyapuri: Institute for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Harborne Building, Whiteknights, RG6 6AS Reading, UK
Leonardo A. Moraes: Institute for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Harborne Building, Whiteknights, RG6 6AS Reading, UK
Tanya Sage: Institute for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Harborne Building, Whiteknights, RG6 6AS Reading, UK
Marfoua S. Ali: Institute for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Harborne Building, Whiteknights, RG6 6AS Reading, UK
Kirsty R. Lewis: Institute for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Harborne Building, Whiteknights, RG6 6AS Reading, UK
Martyn P. Mahaut-Smith: University of Leicester
Ernesto Oviedo-Orta: Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Cardiovascular Biology Research, University of Surrey
Alexander M. Simon: University of Arizona
Jonathan M. Gibbins: Institute for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Harborne Building, Whiteknights, RG6 6AS Reading, UK

Nature Communications, 2013, vol. 4, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract The presence of multiple connexins was recently demonstrated in platelets, with notable expression of Cx37. Studies with Cx37-deficient mice and connexin inhibitors established roles for hemichannels and gap junctions in platelet function. It was uncertain, however, whether Cx37 functions alone or in collaboration with other family members through heteromeric interactions in regulation of platelet function. Here we report the presence and functions of an additional platelet connexin, Cx40. Inhibition of Cx40 in human platelets or its deletion in mice reduces platelet aggregation, fibrinogen binding, granule secretion and clot retraction. The effects of the Cx37 inhibitor 37,43Gap27 on Cx40−/− mouse platelets and of the Cx40 inhibitor 40Gap27 on Cx37−/− mouse platelets revealed that each connexin is able to function independently. Inhibition or deletion of Cx40 reduces haemostatic responses in mice, indicating the physiological importance of this protein in platelets. We conclude that multiple connexins are involved in regulating platelet function, thereby contributing to haemostasis and thrombosis.

Date: 2013
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms3564 Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:4:y:2013:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms3564

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3564

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().