Assembly of a fibronectin matrix by adherent platelets stimulated by lysophosphatidic acid and other agonists

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) are agonists of the endothelial differentiation gene (Edg) family of G-protein-coupled receptors. LPA and S1P are generated by platelet activation during blood coagulation. Both lipids induce assembly of exogenous fibronectin (FN) by fibroblasts. This study examined whether LPA and S1P stimulate binding and assembly of fluoresceinated FN (FITC-FN) by adherent platelets. LPA enhanced deposition of FITC-FN into linear arrays overlying platelet surfaces and on edges of platelets adherent to FN or vitronectin (VN). Deposition was greater when platelets were adherent to FN than to VN and was elicited by platelet agonists with the following order of potency: thrombin > LPA = ADP (adenosine diphosphate) > S1P. The linear pattern of FITC-FN deposition was different from the more diffuse pattern of Alexa-fibrinogen (Alexa-FGN) binding to adherent platelets. FITC-FN was deposited by adherent platelets that had dense arrays of cytoskeletal actin when stained with rhodamine-phalloidin The 70-kd N-terminal fragment of FN or L8 monoclonal antibody to a self-association domain of FN abolished deposition of FITC-FN but had no effect on binding of Alexa-FGN. Conversely, integrilin did not attenuate deposition of FITC-FN but abolished binding of Alexa-FGN. RGDS (Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser) or antibodies to alpha5 beta1 or alpha II beta3 integrins caused a partial decrease in LPA-induced deposition of FITC-FN. Correlative electron microscopy with anti-FITC coupled to gold beads revealed linear arrays on platelet surfaces associated with less than 20-nm diameter filaments. These observations demonstrate that LPA, thrombin, ADP, and S1P induce adherent platelets to bind and assemble FN and suggest that platelets may contribute to early deposition of FN matrix after vascular injury. (C) 2001 by The American Society of Hematology.