Effect of 2(1-piperazinyl)-4H-pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-4-one (AP155) on human platelets in vitro

The effect on human platelets of 2-(1-piperazinyl)-4H-pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-4-one (AP155) was tested in vitro by measuring cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) level, cytosolic Ca ++, [ 125I]fibrinogen binding as well as aggregation induced by several agonists. AP155 dose-dependently inhibited aggregation both in platelet rich plasma (PRP) and in washed platelets (WP), exerting its maximal power in the presence of collagen, ADP and platelet activating factor (PAF). It specifically inhibited the activity of cAMP high affinity phosphodiesterase (PDE), resulting in a sufficient increase in cAMP levels to activate cAMP-dependent protein kinase. AP155 was able to inhibit aggregation, the increase in cytosolic Ca ++ induced by thrombin, and fibrinogen binding to ADP or thrombin-stimulated platelets. Thus, this new pyridopyrimidine derivative exerts its antiplatelet activity by increasing cAMP intracellular concentration.