Vol. 7, Issue 7 (2018)

Author(s):
Surbhi, Nirmal Sangwan, Arun K Sangwan and Saurabh Baloda

Abstract:
Mobilization of intracellular calcium ion plays a very important role in platelet aggregation. It occurs through P2Y1 receptor present on platelets surface. This mechanism of mobilization of intracellular pools of calcium is manipulated by ticks while feeding on their host’s blood. So this study was conducted to know the effects of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus salivary gland proteins/peptides on release of intracellular calcium ion. Hundred pairs of salivary glands were dissected out and extract was prepared for fractionation of proteins/peptides by gel filtration chromatography. Fractions showing inhibitory activity were further tested for their effect on mobilization of intracellular calcium ion. For this fura-2 AM labelled bovine platelets were incubated with the inhibitory proteins/peptides fractions and then aggregation was stimulated with thrombin. Mobilization of intracellular calcium ion was studied by measuring the change in fluorescence at two excitation wavelengths of 340 and 380 nm and an emission wavelength of 510 nm. 8 fractions showed significantly higher inhibitory activity than antagonist and one fraction showed similar inhibitory activity on calcium ion release than that of antagonist. The present study suggested that possible mechanism of action of inhibition of platelet aggregation by proteins/peptides present in fractions could be through the inhibition of intracellular calcium ion mobilization.