Involvement of mediators in the interaction of platelets and carrageenan

Carrageenan or thrombin-induced aggregation of plasma-free rabbit platelets was inhibited by calcium and magnesium chelating agents, by N-ethylmaleimide and by drugs that increase the intra-cellular cyclic AMP content. Inhibitors of prostaglandin (PG) synthetase were only partially active, and had to be present in the platelet suspension to inhibit aggregation. Inhibition of PG synthetase, as evaluated by bioassay and by AA-induced platelet aggregation, was not reduced when inhibitors were washed from platelets. The phospholipase A2 inhibitors bromophenacyl bromide and mepacrine, the chymotrypsin inhibitor tosylphenylalaninechloromethylketone, catalase and dithiothreitol also inhibited aggregation, whereas inhibitors of trypsin failed to do so. Incubation of rabbit platelet-rich plasma with carrageenan was followed by generation of PG-like and of rabbit aorta contracting activities. Generation of these activities was inhibited by drugs effective against aggregation, and also by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Aggregation of rabbit platelets by carrageenan and by thrombin does not appear to be dependent upon activation of PG synthetase, although PG-like substances are formed during aggregation.