Expression of prostacyclin receptor in human megakaryocytes.

Department of Medicine and Clinical Science, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, College of Medical Technology, Kyoto University, Japan.

Prostacyclin (prostaglandin I2, PGI2) is a potent vasodilator and inhibitor of platelet aggregation. Although it is well known that the specific receptor for prostacyclin (PGI2-R) is abundantly expressed on platelets, PGI2-R expression in megakaryocytes is poorly understood. In this study, we examined its expression in leukemic or normal megakaryocytes. PGI2-R mRNA was expressed in human leukemic cell lines of megakaryocytic nature as evaluated by Northern blot analysis. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-3, IL-6, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), thrombopoietin (TPO), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) enhanced PGI2-R mRNA expression. The enhancement of PGI2-R expression by PMA and TPO was associated with the upregulation of platelet factor 4 or glycoprotein IIb mRNA expression. Iloprost, an agonist of prostacyclin, induced significant cyclic (c)AMP synthesis in these leukemic cells indicating that interaction of PGI2-R and its ligand can induce postreceptor signal transduction. Furthermore, iloprost-induced cAMP synthesis was enhanced by the pretreatment with PMA or the cytokines that promoted PGI2-R expression. PMA and TPO also increased the specific binding of [3H]iloprost to these cells. Pooled normal megakaryocytic colonies from TPO-containing semisolid culture of purified human CD34+ cells expressed PGI2-R, which were increased as the megakaryocytes matured with the peak expression before proplatelet formation, as evaluated by semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). These results indicate that PGI2-R is expressed in human megakaryocytes and is upregulated by cytokines involved in thrombopoiesis or inflammation. Also, it was indicated that megakaryocytic maturation accompanies enhancement of PGI2-R expression.

PMID: 9242534 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]