A tetrameric glycoprotein Ib-binding protein, agglucetin, from Formosan pit viper: structure and interaction with human platelets

Agglucetin, a tetrameric agglutination inducer from the Formosan pit viper, has been identified as a platelet membrane glycoprotein (GP) Ib agonist and directly agglutinated fixed-platelets in the absence of von Willebrand factor (vWf). Here, we resolved the complete cDNA sequences of agglucetin subunits (alpha(1), alpha(2), beta(1) and beta(2)) by molecular cloning. Each cloned cDNA encoding the leader peptide (23 residues) and the mature subunit (131/135/123/126 residues) shares a high degree of homology to each other and the C-type lectin-like GP Ib-binding proteins (BPs). Furthermore, agglucetin specifically caused platelet agglutination and surface exposure of integrin alpha(IIb)beta(3) with a GPIb-dependent manner in washed platelets, based on the observation that the enhanced expression of functional alpha(IIb)beta(3) was suppressed by a GPIb-cleaving metalloproteinase, crotalin. Pretreating platelets with staurosporine or BAPTA-AM also completely blocked the exposure of functional alpha(IIb)beta(3), suggesting that the activation of protein kinase C and intracellular calcium mobilization are involved in the GPIb-dependent signaling. In human platelet-rich plasma (PRP), agglucetin elicited sequential biphasic responses of platelet agglutination and aggregation in a GPIb- and alpha(IIb)beta(3)-dependent manner, respectively, implying that other cofactors may amplify platelet activation to trigger aggregation.