Evaluation of proteinase-activated receptor-1 (PAR1) agonists and antagonists using a cultured cell receptor desensitization assay: activation of PAR2 by PAR1-targeted ligands

We developed a calcium signaling-based assay, using cultured human embryonic kidney cells (HEK), that evaluates simultaneously, the activation/desensitization or blockade of the proteinase-activated receptors, PAR1 and PAR2. Using this assay, we analyzed the actions of a number of previously described putative PAR1-targeted peptide agonists and antagonists. We found that most of the previously described PAR1-targeted agents can also activate/desensitize PAR2, and most of these peptides can also activate a calcium signaling pathway in a target cell that possesses PAR2 along with PAR1. Furthermore, we used this assay to develop a PAR1 receptor-activating probe [Ala-parafluoroPhe-Arg-Cha-Cit-Tyr-NH2 (Cit-NH2)], which displays a high degree of specificity for PAR1 over PAR2, and we used the assay to quantitate the ability of trypsin to disarm the activation of PAR1 by Thrombin. The abilities of the PAR1-targeted agents to desensitize or block PAR1 in the HEK cell assay were compared with their activities in a human platelet aggregation assay. Our data illustrate the usefulness of the HEK cell assay for evaluating the PAR1/PAR2 selectivity of PAR-activating agonists. The PAR1-selective agonist that we developed using the assay should prove useful for studying the effects of selectively activating PAR1 in vivo.