Kinetic analysis of a TxA2 receptor antagonist. Evidence for the existence of an uptake system

The kinetics of the binding of TxA2 and the characteristics of its putative uptake by platelets (plt) were investigated with a radiolabelled structural TxA2 analogue, 125I-PTA-OH, in platelets from 6 male healthy volunteers. The kinetic constants (Kobs, K1 and K-1) were calculated by time-course experiments according to Weiland and Molinoff. The affinity constant (Km) and maximal uptake velocity (Vmax) values for each subject were determined by the double-reciprocal plot of Lineweaver-Burk. The kinetically determined dissociation constant Kd was 10 nmol/l. In the uptake experiments a saturability of the association rate of the non-displaceable binding was observed at increased ligand concentration. Michaelis-Menten type kinetics were obtained and the Vmax was 32.44 fmol/10(8) plt x hour with a Km of 6.39 nmol/l. These observations suggest that the uptake was a carrier-mediated active transport.