Co-culture of Platelets with Monocytes Induced M2 Macrophage Polarization and Formation of Foam Cells: Shedding Light on the Crucial Role of Platelets in Monocyte Differentiation.

Objective: Far beyond hemostasis and thrombosis, significant evidence has indicated the critical role of platelets in atherosclerosis. SDF-1 is among the pro-inflammatory chemokines that are increased in platelets of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). The goal of the current work is to identify the in vitro effect of platelets from either CAD patients or healthy volunteers on the induction of macrophages and foam cells.