The aim of this study was to systematically examine the inhibitory mechanisms of the flavonoid
-naphthoflavone (
-NF) in platelet activation. In this study,
-NF concentration dependently (5-20
M) inhibited platelet aggregation stimulated by agonists.
-NF (5 and 10
M) inhibited intracellularCa
2+ mobilization, phosphoinositide breakdown, and thromboxane A
2 formation stimulated by collagen(1
g/mL) in human platelets. In addition,
-NF (5 and 10
M) markedly increased levels of cyclicGMP and cyclic GMP-induced vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) Ser
157 phosphorylation.Rapid phosphorylation of a platelet protein of
Mr 47 000 (P47), a marker of protein kinase C activation,was triggered by phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate (60 nM). This phosphorylation was markedly inhibited by
-NF (5 and 10
M). However,
-NF (5 and 10
M) did not reduce the electron spin resonance(ESR) signal intensity of hydroxyl radicals in collagen (1
g/mL)-activated platelets. These resultsindicate that the antiplatelet activity of
-NF may be involved in the following pathways. (1)
-NFmay inhibit the activation of phospholipase C, followed by inhibition of phosphoinositide breakdown,protein kinase C activation, and thromboxane A
2 formation, thereby leading to inhibition of intracellularCa
2+ mobilization. (2)
-NF also activated the formation of cyclic GMP, resulting in inhibition of plateletaggregation. These results strongly indicate that
-NF appears to represent a novel and potentantiplatelet agent for treatment of arterial thromboembolism.Keywords:
-Naphthoflavone; platelet aggregation; protein kinase C; cyclic GMP; vasodilator-stimulatedphosphoprotein