Role of sodium tungstate as a potential antiplatelet agent

Rebeca Fernández-Ruiz,1,2 Marc Pino,3 Begoña Hurtado,4 Pablo García de Frutos,4 Carolina Caballo,3 Ginés Escolar,3 Ramón Gomis,1,2,5 Maribel Diaz-Ricart3 1Diabetes and Obesity Research Laboratory, Institut d'Investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Rosellón, Barcelona, 2Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas, Barcelona, 3Hemotherapy–Hemostasis, Hospital Clínic, Universidad de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Villarroel, Barcelona, 4Institutode Investigaciones Biomédicas de Barcelona, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Institut d’Investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer, Rosellón, Barcelona, 5Hospital Clinic, Universitat de Barcelona, Villarroel, Barcelona, Spain Purpose: Platelet inhibition is a key strategy in the management of atherothrombosis. However, the large variability in response to current strategies leads to the search for alternative inhibitors. The antiplatelet effect of the inorganic salt sodium tungstate (Na2O4W), a protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibitor, has been investigated in this study.Methods: Wild-type (WT) and PTP1B knockout (PTP1B-/-) mice were treated for 1 week with Na2O4W to study platelet function with the platelet function analyzer PFA-100, a cone-and-plate analyzer, a flat perfusion chamber, and thrombus formation in vivo. Human blood aliquots were incubated with Na2O4W for 1 hour to measure platelet function using the PFA-100 and the annular perfusion chamber. Aggregometry and thromboelastometry were also performed.Results: In WT mice, Na2O4W treatment prolonged closure times in the PFA-100 and decreased the surface covered (%SC) by platelets on collagen. Thrombi formed in a thrombosis mice model were smaller in animals treated with Na2O4W (4.6±0.7 mg vs 8.9±0.7 mg; P