B. Nieswandt et al., Expression and function of the mouse collagen receptor glycoprotein VI is strictly dependent on its association with the FcR gamma chain, J BIOL CHEM, 275(31), 2000, pp. 23998-24002
Platelet glycoprotein (GP) VI has been proposed as the major collagen recep
tor for activation of human platelets. Human GPVI belongs to the immunoglob
ulin superfamily and is noncovalently associated with the FcR gamma chain t
hat is involved in signaling through the receptor. In mice, similar mechani
sms seem to exist as platelets from FcR gamma chain-deficient mice do not a
ggregate in response to collagen. However, the activating collagen receptor
on mouse platelets has not been definitively identified. In the current st
udy we examined the function and in vivo expression of GPVI in control and
FcR gamma chain-deficient mice with the first monoclonal antibody against G
PVI (JAQ1). On wild type platelets, JAQ1 inhibited platelet aggregation ind
uced by collagen but not PMA or thrombin. Cross-linking of bound JAQ1, on t
he other hand, induced aggregation of wild type but not FcR gamma chain-def
icient platelets. JAQ1 stained platelets and megakaryocytes from wild type
but not FcR gamma chain-deficient mice. Furthermore, JAQ1 recognized GPVI (
approximately 60 kDa) in immunoprecipitation and Western blot experiments w
ith wild type but not FcR gamma chain deficient platelets. These results st
rongly suggest that GPVI is the collagen receptor responsible for platelet
activation in mice and demonstrate that the association with the FcR gamma
chain is critical for its expression and function.