Potentiation of Adrenaline-Induced Platelet Aggregation by Angiotensin II

Abstract

SummaryThe effects of angiotensin II (ANG II) alone and in combination with other agonists on human platelet aggregation, thromboxane B2 (TxB2) and cytosolic [Ca2+]i were investigated. ANG II (10™11 - 10™7 M) alone had no direct effect on aggregation, TxB2 production or [Ca2+]i after short- (<2 min) or longterm (30 min) incubation. In contrast, low concentrations of ANG II (10™11 M) enhanced adrenaline-induced platelet aggregation but high concentrations (10™7 M) had an inhibitory effect. Moreover, ANG II (10™11 - 10™7 M) augmented platelet responses to the TxA2 mimetic, U44069. Pretreatment of platelets with flurbiprofen abolished this facilitatory effect of ANG II on adrenaline- but not on U44069-induced platelet aggregation. These results suggest that ANG II stimulation of agonist-induced platelet activation may be due to potentiation of the effects rather than the synthesis of TxA2