PMID: 8948018Oct 1, 1996Paper

Cobra venom cardiotoxin induces aggregation of washed rat platelets: dual effects of Ca2+

Research Communications in Molecular Pathology and Pharmacology
S J Huang, C Y Kwan

Abstract

The effects of cardiotoxin isolated and purified from the venom of Naja naja atra on the platelet aggregation were investigated using washed rat platelets prepared chromatographically. In the presence of 1 mM Ca2+, cardiotoxin concentration-dependently induced aggregation of platelets. While extracellular Ca2+ was necessary for the induction of aggregation by cardiotoxin, high concentration of Ca2+ (e.g., 5 mM) prevented cardiotoxin-induced aggregation. Cardiotoxin-induced platelet aggregation was also blocked by 1 mM Ni2+ but not by 100 microM indomethacin or 1 microM nifedipine, indicating that cardiotoxin-induced platelet aggregation involved Ca(2+)-entry pathway other than L-type Ca2+ channels. High concentration of Ca2+ may prevent cardiotoxin-induced aggregation by competing with cardiotoxin for binding site on the platelet membranes.

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