Rapid inactivation of cyclooxygenase activity after stimulation of intact platelets

Trypsin, thrombin, and ionophore A23187 activate phospholipid breakdown of platelets that have been labeled with [(14)C]arachidonate, releasing their cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase products. Intact platelets can also very effectively directly degrade low concentrations of exogenous, free [(14)C]arachidonate. Pretreatment of platelets with trypsin, thrombin, or ionophore A23187 for a minimum time of 30 sec leads to complete inactivation of cyclooxygenase activity, as demonstrated by subsequent exposure to [(14)C]arachidonate. Lipoxygenase activity is lost after 5 min. The thrombin-induced inactivation of cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase is prevented by cyclic AMP (which inhibits the stimulated activity of phospholipase A(2)), although cyclic AMP does not affect the degradation of exogenous [(14)C]arachidonate. Exposure of platelets labeled with [(14)C]arachidonate to unlabeled arachidonate under conditions that lead to use of the latter also results in a similarly rapid inhibition of cyclooxygenase activity, as determined by subsequent challenge with thrombin. Under these conditions lipoxygenase activity is much less markedly inactivated. The arachidonate-induced inhibition of cyclooxygenase activity is not prevented by cyclic AMP. Trypsin does not induce platelet aggregation, and platelets whose cyclooxygenase activity has been inactivated are intact insofar as they are still able to undergo aggregation. These studies demonstrate that operation in intact platelets of the cyclooxygenase pathway, through use of endogenous or exogenous substrate, leads to a very rapid, irreversible inactivation of this enzyme. The lipoxygenase pathway is also progressively impaired, but much less rapidly than the cyclooxygenase enzyme and much less markedly on use of exogenous compared to endogenous substrate. The possible consequences of these physiological processes of spontaneous inactivation are considered.