Sustained proteolysis is required for human platelet activation by thrombin.

A maximally effective dose of indomethacin does not prevent serotonin release and aggregation in human platelets stimulated with thrombin. Thrombin induces rapid activation of inositol phospholipids-specific phospholipase C, which is reflected by the degradation of inositides and the phosphorylation of the resultant 1,2-diacylglycerol to phosphatidic acid. Thrombin also activates protein kinase C and myosin light chain kinase as indicated by phosphorylation of the 40,000 and 20,000 dalton proteins, respectively. Leupeptin, a protease inhibitor that does not inhibit thrombin's proteolytic activity or its binding to platelet surface, is able to reverse platelet activation by thrombin when it is administered after the addition of the agonist and indomethacin. The results suggest a proteolytic-mediated pathway in transmembrane signalling involved in platelet activation by thrombin.