Uses
Ristocetin A sulfate is a potent antibacterial glycopeptide antibiotic that was withdrawn from clinical use following a high incidence of thrombocytopenia. Further investigation found that ristocetin A induced platelet aggregation by binding to a factor absent in people suffering from von Willebrand's disease, leading to the use of ristocetin A as an important diagnostic aid.
General Description
Ristomycin/ristocetin is a type III glycopeptide. It is a highly glycosylated glycopeptide, previously found in?Amycolatopsis lurida.
Biological Activity
ristocetin a, a glycopeptide related to vancomycin, is an antibiotic produced by the microorganism nocardia lurida[1].ristocetin a is currently in clinical use to treat bacterial infections [1]. ristocetin a is an antibiotic which can be used to treat staphylococcal infections. the side effects of ristocetin a include thrombocytopenia and platelet agglutination. ristocetin a has been used in two assays: the ristocetin cofactor assay and the ristocetin-induced platelet aggregation assay. these two assays could be used to diagnosis the von willebrand disease and other bleeding disorders [2, 3]. the structural features of ristocetin a are similar to vancomycin.
Biochem/physiol Actions
Ristocetin activates platelets. Ristocetin-induced platelet agglutination (RIPA) is decreased in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis. Together with increased plasma glycocalicin levels (a product of enzymatic cleavage of GPIb), RIPA may contribute to diminished platelet adhesion to vascular subendothelium and increased bleeding associated with uremia. Addition of ristocetin and vWf caused specific agglutination of rGPIbα-liposomes suporting the potential use of rGPIbα-liposomes to enhance platelet function in vivo and support hemostasis in thrombocytopenic individuals.
References
[1] pearson a j, heo j n. approaches to the fully functionalized def ring system of ristocetin a via highly selective ruthenium-promoted snar reaction[j]. organic letters, 2000, 2(19): 2987-2990.hawks g h. antibiotic therapy of staphylococcal infections[j]. canadian medical association journal, 1965, 93(16): 848.
[3] castaman, g. ,hillarp, a. and goodeve, a. laboratory aspects of von willebrand disease: test repertoire and options for activity assays and genetic analysis. haemophilia 20(suppl 4), 65-70 (2014).
