Antiplatelet Mechanism of 2‐Chloro‐3‐(4‐hexylphenyl)‐amino‐1,4‐naphthoquinone (NQ304), an Antithrombotic Agent

Abstract: The effects of 2‐chloro‐3‐(4‐hexylphenyl)‐amino‐1,4‐naphthoquinone (NQ304), an antithrombotic agent, on aggregation, binding of fibrinogen to glycoprotein IIb/IIIa and intracellular signals were investigated using human platelets. NQ304 inhibited thrombin‐, arachidonic acid‐ and thapsigargin‐induced aggregation of washed human platelets with the IC₅₀ values of 22.2±0.7, 6.5±0.2, and 7.6±0.1 μM, respectively. NQ304 significantly inhibited fluorescein isothiocyanate‐conjugated fibrinogen binding to human platelet surface glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor by 75%, but failed to inhibit the fibrinogen binding to purified glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor. This result suggests that NQ304 inhibit platelet aggregation by suppression of an intracellular pathway that involves exposure of the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor, rather than by direct inhibition of fibrinogen‐glycoprotein IIb/IIIa binding. NQ304 significantly inhibited thrombin‐induced increase in intracellular Ca²⁺ mobilization at the dose of 30 μM and ATP secretion in a dose‐dependent manner. It also inhibited thrombin‐ and arachidonic acid‐induced thromboxane A₂ formation in human platelet dose‐dependently. In conclusion, the antiplatelet mechanism of NQ304 may be due to the reduction of the thromboxane A₂ formation, inhibition of adenosine triphosphate release and intracellular calcium mobilization.