Inhibition of platelet adhesion thrombus formation and fibrin formation by a potent αIIbβ3 integrin inhibitor from ticks

摘要

Ticks puncture the skin of their hosts and secrete saliva, containing antiplatelet proteins, into the blood. Here, we studied disagregin, a potent platelet‐inhibiting protein derived from the salivary glands of Ornithodoros moubata, an African soft tick. Whereas conventional αIIbβ3 antagonists contain an Arg‐Gly‐Asp (RGD) sequence for platelet integrin binding, disagregin contains an Arg‐Glu‐Asp (RED) sequence, hypothesizing a different mode of inhibitory action.