Inhibition of PAR-4 and P2Y12 receptor-mediated platelet activation produces distinct hepatic pathologies in experimental xenobiotic-induced cholestatic liver disease

Emerging evidence supports a protective effect of platelets in experimental cholestatic liver injury and cholangiofibrosis. Coagulation-mediated platelet activation has been shown to inhibit experimental chronic cholestatic liver necrosis and biliary fibrosis. This occurs through thrombin-mediated activation of protease activated receptor-4 (PAR-4) in mice. However, it is not known whether other pathways of platelet activation, such as adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-mediated receptor P2Y12 activation is also protective. We tested the hypothesis that inhibition of P2Y12-mediated platelet activation exacerbates hepatic injury and cholangiofibrosis, and examined the impact of P2Y12 inhibition in both the presence and absence of PAR-4. Treatment of wild-type mice with the P2Y12 receptor antagonist clopidogrel increased biliary hyperplasia and cholangiofibrosis in wild-type mice exposed to the xenobiotic alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT) for 4 weeks compared to vehicle-treated mice exposed to ANIT. Interestingly, this effect of clopidogrel occurred without a corresponding increase in hepatocellular necrosis. Whereas biliary hyperplasia and cholangiofibrosis were increased in PAR-4−/− mice, clopidogrel treatment failed to further increase these pathologies in PAR-4−/− mice. The results indicate that inhibition of receptor P2Y12-mediated platelet activation exacerbates bile duct fibrosis in ANIT-exposed mice, independent of hepatocellular necrosis. Moreover, the lack of an added effect of clopidogrel administration on the exaggerated pathology in ANIT-exposed PAR-4−/− mice reinforces the prevailing importance of coagulation-mediated platelet activation in limiting this unique liver pathology.

Graphical abstractRole and importance of specific platelet activation pathways in control of experimental xenobiotic-induced cholestatic liver injury and fibrosis.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide