School of Chemistry and Biochemistry Professor Park Hyun-ho’s research team investigates new platelet coagulation mechanism
Listed in latest issue of the global academic journals ‘PNAS’ of the US National Academy of Sciences
Research outcomes receive international attention since June... Recognized for world-class research
[October 19, 2017]
<YU School of Chemistry and Biochemistry Professor Park Hyun-ho’s research team became the first in the world to investigate the new mechanism for platelet coagulation within the blood at a molecular level>
(Left to right: Kim Chang-min, Professor Park Hyun-ho)
YU School of Chemistry and Biochemistry Professor Park Hyun-ho’s (42) research team became the first in the world to investigate the new mechanism for platelet coagulation within the blood at a molecular level. This research is receiving attention from academic circles as it is anticipated that it will provide a lead for the development of treatment, as well as understanding on thrombosis, which is a major cause for cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction and cerebral infarction.
When platelets in the blood coagulate at an abnormal status such as aging or wounds in blood vessels, it can cause blood clots. Localized accumulation of such blood clots can cause various types of thrombosis such as myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction, pulmonary emboliform, and deep vein thrombosis, as well as old-age related diseases. Therefore, anti-platelet agents are used to stop coagulation of platelets for the treatment and prevention of thrombosis. The best known anti-platelet agents are aspirin and clopidogrel. However, existing drugs have severe side effects such as bleeding, so the need for next-generation anti-platelet agents have been needed for quite a while.
According to recent research results, GPlb (Glycoprotein lb), which is a platelet acceptor, activates for platelet coagulation only in non-ideal states of the blood vessel, and it also claimed that TRAF4 proteins that combine with GPlb is an important medium for delivering signals within the cell. Accordingly, preventing the combination of GPlb and TRAF4 can reduce side effects such as bleeding, and that it can be the ideal strategy for stopping platelet coagulation.
The research team said, “We became the first to reveal the complex structure of TRAF4 and the platelet acceptor GPlb. A specific amino acid order of GPlb is joined with TRAF, and information on their combination at a molecular level will provide essential information for the development of next-generation anti-platelet drugs that stop the combination of TRAF4 and GPlb.” In addition, he said, “This study also revealed where TRAF4 bonds directly with the TGF-b acceptor, which is an acceptor that causes cancer, and it is therefore expected that it will provide important information in development targeted anti-cancer drugs that stops bonding of TRAF4 and TGF-b acceptor.”
This study was carried out as the Korea Health Industry Development Institute’s ‘translational research support project’ and the National Research Foundation’s ‘platform technology development project’. Kim Chang-min (28, PhD course at the YU Graduate School of Chemistry and Biochemistry) as the first author and Advising Professor Park as the correspondence author. The research results was published in latest issue of the world-acclaimed academic journals <PNAS> (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, impact factor 9IF) 9.65) published by the US National Academy of Sciences (NAS).
In particular, the ‘Vessel Aging Control Research Center’ that is based on the TRAF4 target thrombosis treatment development research proposed by Professor Park’s research team based on the research outcomes was selected as a platform technology project supported by the National Research Foundation recently. Full-fledged research will begin for the development of next-generation anti-thrombosis drugs, and the Seoul National University College of Medicine and the Daegu Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation’s New Drug Development Support Center will participate as joint research institutes.
Professor Park who led this research stated, “Our lab has been focusing on research on drugs and development of treatments through research on cell suicide and immunity and inflammation reactions from long ago. During our research on the structure and functions of TRAF family that is known to be a protein that acts as a medium for cell suicide and inflammation reactions, we found that only TRAF4 was involved more in platelet coagulation rather than typical functions.” He added, “We were able to achieve such great research outcomes by not hesitating and working together for along time in this new field together with the students at the lab.”
Meanwhile, Professor Park’s research team has been receiving attention recently for their research outcomes such as publishing the research results on investigating the ‘DNA cutting phenomenon in cell suicide’ at a molecular level in June in <PNAS>. Professor Park and Mr. Kim Chang-min, who are the main authors of this study, were introduced in ‘Korea’s Stars’ provided by ‘BRIC’, which is a biology research information center, and has thus been recognized for their research capacities both domestically and internationally.
