Unravelling the mechanism and significance of thrombin binding to platelet glycoprotein Ib

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Zaverio M Ruggeri1, Alessandro Zarpellon, James R Roberts

  • 1Roon Research Center for Arteriosclerosis and Thrombosis, Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA. ruggeri@scripps.edu

Thrombosis and Haemostasis
|October 14, 2010
PubMed

The main question concerning the mechanism of a-thrombin binding to platelet membrane glycoprotein (GP)Ib is whether it involves both thrombin exosite I and exosite II. The solution of two independent crystal structures suggests alternative explanations that may actually reflect different modes of binding with distinct pathophysiological significance. With respect to function, it is still unclear whether thrombin binding to GPIb promotes procoagulant and prothrombotic pathways of response to vascular injury or limits such responses by sequestering, at least temporarily, the active enzyme. We review here published information on these topics and touch upon ongoing studies aimed at finding definitive answers to outstanding questions relevant for a better understanding of thrombosis and haemostasis.

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