A novel role of h2‐calponin in regulating whole blood thrombosis and platelet adhesion during physiologic flow

Calponin is an actin filament-associated protein reported in platelets, although the specific isoform expressed and functional role were not identified. The h2-calponin isoform is expressed in myeloid-derived peripheral blood monocytes, where it regulates adhesion. Our objective was to characterize the presence and function of the h2 isoform of calponin in platelets. H2-calponin was detected in human and mouse platelets via Western blotting. Immunofluorescent staining demonstrated h2-calponin and actin colocalized in both human and wild-type mouse platelets at rest and following collagen activation. The kinetics of platelet adhesion and whole blood thrombosis during physiologic flow was evaluated in a microfluidic flow-based thrombosis assay. The time to initiation of rapid platelet/thrombus accumulation (lag time) was significantly longer in h2-calponin knockout versus wild-type mouse blood (130.02 ± 3.74 sec and 72.95 ± 16.23 sec, respectively, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the rate of platelet/thrombus accumulation during the rapid phase or the maximum platelet/thrombus accumulation. H2-calponin knockout mice also had prolonged bleeding time and blood loss. H2-calponin in platelets facilitates early interactions between platelets and collagen during physiologic flow, but does not significantly affect the rate or magnitude of platelet/thrombus accumulation. H2-calponin knockout mice take 2.3 times longer to achieve hemostasis compared to wild-type controls in a tail bleeding model. The ability to delay platelet accumulation without inhibiting downstream thrombotic potential would be of significant therapeutic value, thus h2-calponin may be a novel target for therapeutic platelet inhibition.