Preventing blood clots by stopping P2X1 receptor activation on platelets

Identification of P2X1 ligands as potential antithrombotics

Heart attacks and strokes are caused by blood clots (thrombosis) that prevent blood from reaching the heart and brain. There are drugs available that prevent these clots from forming but they can cause unwanted bleeding. New drugs to prevent blood clots are needed that are less likely to cause this side-effect. For a blood clot to form, blood cells called platelets must be ‘switched on’. One of the molecules on their surface, called a P2X1 receptor, is key to this process. In theory, blocking P2X1 receptors using drugs could be a new way to prevent blood clots forming and, because P2X1 receptors are only activated under certain conditions (for instance when vessels become blocked), drugs that block these receptors are less likely to cause unwanted bleeding. Professor Andrew Thompson and colleagues have been awarded a three year grant to search for drugs that block P2X1 receptors. They will study different drug-like compounds that could block P2X1 receptors to find out more about how these compounds work and if their properties can be improved. They will test the most effective compounds on platelets in the lab. This research will reveal more about how drugs interact with P2X1 receptors and may pave the way for new medicines to prevent blood clotting with fewer side effects.