Integrin αvβ3 Antagonist Ameliorates Atherosclerotic Progression by Reducing Platelet Hyperactivation

Abstract

Platelet hyperactivation represents a significant risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. This study investigated the expression and functional roles of integrin αvβ3 and (Multimerin 1) MMRN1 in platelets from atherosclerotic conditions and evaluated the therapeutic potential of integrin αvβ3 antagonism in atherosclerotic progression. We examined the expression patterns of αvβ3 and MMRN1 in platelets from healthy controls, patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), and patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) using qRT-PCR and ELISA techniques. The correlation between αvβ3 and MMRN1 expression levels with platelet counts and aggregation was analyzed. Additionally, we established a mouse model of atherosclerosis to investigate the effects of an αvβ3 antagonist (SB273005) and MMRN1 knockdown on platelet activation and atherosclerosis progression. Our findings revealed positive correlations between MMRN1 and αvβ3 expression levels with both platelet counts and aggregation. Notably, elevated platelet counts and aggregation observed in CHD and AMI patient samples were effectively reduced by the αvβ3 antagonist treatment. Furthermore, both αvβ3 antagonist treatment and MMRN1 knockdown significantly ameliorated disease severity in the mouse atherosclerosis model. These results demonstrate that upregulation of αvβ3 integrin and MMRN1 contributes to platelet hyperactivation in atherosclerotic vascular diseases, and targeting the αvβ3/MMRN1 axis may serve as a promising intervention strategy for the clinical management of atherosclerotic vascular diseases.