The mechanism(s) of the antiaggregatory effects of cryptolepine : the role of cyclic adenosine monophosphate and cellular Ca2

1. In this investigation, the properties and possible mechanisms of the antiaggregatory effects of cryptolepine were evaluated. 2. Cryptolepine had no effect on platelet shape change but inhibited aggregation in a time-dependent manner. The inhibition of aggregation lacks agonist specificity, the IC50 values (x 10(-5) M) being 2.79 +/- 0.7 ADP 3.05 +/- 0.2 (U46619), 2.89 +/- 0.6 (A23187), 2.41 +/- 0.6 (thrombin), 4.05 +/- 0.9 (arachidonic acid) and 47.3 +/- 3.9 (PAF). 3. The antiaggregatory effects were fully reversible and surmountable at concentrations < or = 75 microM but unsurmountable at concentrations > or = 100 microM. 4. The coincubation of cryptolepine (25 and 50 microM) with cpt-cAMP (50 microM) resulted in increased inhibition of aggregation from 24.2 +/- 2.1% (25 microM) and 45.1 +/- 3.4% (50 microM) to 69.5 +/- 5.8% and 84.2 +/- 6.4%, respectively. 5. Cryptolepine (10 microM) synergized with stimulants of platelet adenylate cyclase, prostacyclin (0.5 and 1 nM) and forskolin (2.5 and 5 microM) to inhibit aggregation induced by adenosine diphosphate (ADP). The inhibition of aggregation by cryptolepine (10 microM; 18.2 +/- 1.5%) or prostacyclin (0.5 nM; 23.4 +/- 2.0%) increased to 62.6 +/- 3.8% (P < 0.01) on combined administration. 6. Following pretreatment with IBMX (50 microM), a phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor, the inhibitory effect of cryptolepine (25 microM) increased from 21.5 +/- 2.1% to 42.3 +/- 3.7% (P < 0.01). In the presence of imidazole (2.5 mM), an activator of PDE, the inhibitory effects of cryptolepine reduced from 63.2 +/- 5.4% (50 microM) and 84.7 +/- 4.4% (75 microM) to 1.4 +/- 0.2% and 21.3 +/- 2.4%, respectively.