Crotalocytin: characterization of the timber rattlesnake platelet activating protein

Crotalocytin, a platelet activating protein from timber rattlesnake venom, was studied to characterize its nature and to investigate its action on platelets. It exhibited proteolytic activity on the substrate azocoll and amidolytic activity on several peptide p-nitroanilides. The platelet activating and amidolytic activity of Crotalocytin was inhibited by diisopropylfluorophosphate. In addition, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride inhibited Crotalocytin's ability to stimulate platelets. Active site titration with p-nitrophenyl guanidobenzoate indicated that 52% of Crotalocytin's molecules were active and that the enzyme could also hydrolyze the titrant. These studies showed that Crotalocytin is a serine protease. Like thrombin and collagen, Crotalocytin induced simultaneous platelet aggregation and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) secretion. EDTA and prostaglandin E (PGE1) blocked Crotalocytin's ability to activate platelets; hirudin and antithrombin III did not. Crotalocytin stimulated the secretion of serotonin from dense granules and low affinity platelet factor 4 and fibrinogen from alpha-granules. Crotalocytin did not cause platelet lactic dehydrogenase loss or agglutinate formalin-fixed platelets, but it did aggregate chymotrypsin-treated platelets. Studies with antimycin A and 2 deoxy- D-glucose showed that Crotalocytin-induced platelet secretion was dependent on metabolic energy. Furthermore, Crotalocytin's induction of platelet secretion was prevented by eliminating exogenous ADP and blocking activation of the arachidonate pathway. Timber rattlesnake venom contains a serine protease that is unique, potent platelet activator.