Characterization of human platelet vasopressin receptor and the relation between vasopressin-induced platelet aggregation and vasopressin binding to platelets.

Immunoreactive AVP was found to be much higher in platelets than in platelet-free plasma (PFP) in normal subjects (12.8 +/- 6.3 versus 1.7 +/- 0.8 fmol/ml). AVP levels in PFP were appreciably elevated in parallel with the elevation of plasma osmolality induced by the acute osmotic stimulation, while the AVP levels in platelets did not change before and after the stimulation. Binding studies on intact platelets demonstrated specific binding sites for [3H]AVP. The specific binding was time, temperature and concentration-dependent, saturable and reversible, with the maximal binding capacity (Bmax) of 169.9 +/- 14.4 sites/platelet and affinity of 4.84 +/- 1.15 x 10(8)M-1. The affinity constants for unlabelled AVP, lysine vasopressin (LVP), oxytocin (OT) and dDAVP were 9.0, 8.5, 7.4 and 6.6, respectively, and the inhibition constant for d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)AVP (V1-antagonist) was 7.7. There was a highly significant correlation between the affinity constants of AVP analogues and their relative vasopressor activities in vivo, whereas no such correlation was found between the affinity constants and antidiuretic activities. AVP caused platelet aggregation with the maximal aggregation of 48.0 +/- 25.1% at 230 nM of AVP. A significant correlation was observed between the maximal percentage aggregation and Bmax of [3H]AVP to intact platelets. These results suggest that the platelet vasopressin receptor belongs to the V1 vascular subtype and mediates platelet aggregation.