Venous thrombosis (VT) is a common vascular disease associated with reduced survival and a high recurrence rate. VT is initiated by the accumulation of platelets and neutrophils at sites of endothelial cell activation. A role for platelet αIIbβ3 in VT is not established, a task complicated by the increased bleeding risk caused by partial agonists such as tirofiban. Here, we show that m-tirofiban, a modified version of tirofiban, does not agonize αIIbβ3 based on lack of neoepitope expression and the cryo-EM structure of m-tirofiban/full-length αIIbβ3 complex. m-tirofiban abolishes agonist-induced platelet aggregation while preserving clot retraction ex vivo and, unlike tirofiban, it suppresses venous thrombogenesis in a mouse model without increasing bleeding. These findings establish a key role for αIIbβ3 in VT initiation and suggest that m-tirofiban and compounds with a similar structurally-defined mechanism of action merit consideration as potential thromboprophylaxis agents in patients at high risk for VT and hemorrhage.
© 2024. The Author(s).