Platelets: Orchestrators of immunity in host defense and beyond.

Immunity

Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik I, University Hospital Ludwig-Maximilian University, Munich, Germany; DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany. Electronic address:

Published: May 2024

AI Article Synopsis

  • Platelets help stop bleeding and form blood clots when you get hurt, but they also play a big role in the immune system by defending against germs.
  • They help control inflammation and support other immune cells to keep our body healthy and fight off infections.
  • If platelets get too active, they can cause problems like excessive inflammation and blood clots, which can lead to serious health issues.

Article Abstract

Platelets prevent blood loss during vascular injury and contribute to thrombus formation in cardiovascular disease. Beyond these classical roles, platelets are critical for the host immune response. They guard the vasculature against pathogens via specialized receptors, intracellular signaling cascades, and effector functions. Platelets also skew inflammatory responses by instructing innate immune cells, support adaptive immunosurveillance, and influence antibody production and T cell polarization. Concomitantly, platelets contribute to tissue reconstitution and maintain vascular function after inflammatory challenges. However, dysregulated activation of these multitalented cells exacerbates immunopathology with ensuing microvascular clotting, excessive inflammation, and elevated risk of macrovascular thrombosis. This dichotomy underscores the critical importance of precisely defining and potentially modulating platelet function in immunity.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2024.04.008DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

platelets
5
platelets orchestrators
4
orchestrators immunity
4
immunity host
4
host defense
4
defense platelets
4
platelets prevent
4
prevent blood
4
blood loss
4
loss vascular
4

Similar Publications

Background: Venous thromboembolic events (VTEs) are the second-leading cause of death in cancer patients, with an incidence of 5%-17% in lymphoma patients, particularly higher in those with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Existing risk assessment models (RAMs) like the Khorana and ThroLy scores have limitations and are inadequately validated for NHL patients. Coagulation markers such as D-dimer, thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT), and thrombomodulin (TM) show a potential predictive value for cancer-associated VTE but lack extensive research in NHL.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Platelet-derived biomaterials for targeted drug delivery and tissue repair.

J Mater Chem B

December 2024

College of Biomedical Engineering, National Engineering Research Centre for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610064, China.

Platelets are nucleic-free cells with a lifespan of 7-10 days in the bloodstream, playing a crucial role in various physiological processes such as hemostasis, thrombus formation, tumor development and metastasis, inflammation, and host defense. By utilizing the unique structural and functional characteristics of platelets, platelet-modified nano-drugs can evade immune recognition and clearance and facilitate prolonged circulation , which ultimately allows the nanoparticles to reach sites of disease such as thrombi, tumors, inflammation, or bacterial infections, leading to specific adhesion and significantly enhancing the efficiency of targeted drug delivery. This paper reviews the novel design and application of platelet-derived biomaterials in various diseases in recent years and comprehensively demonstrates the potential of platelet-derived biomaterials in the fields of disease therapy and biodefence, which will provide a reference for advancing the development of platelet-derived biomaterials and clinical practice.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Controlling the Hierarchical Assembly of DNA-Based Hexagonal Microstructures.

Small

December 2024

Department of Engineering Science, Graduate School of Informatics and Engineering, The University of Electro-Communications, 1-5-1 Chofugaoka, Chofu, Tokyo, 182-8585, Japan.

This paper discusses the controlled morphology of hierarchical liquid crystalline DNA assemblies. Through a process of heating and slow cooling, double-stranded DNAs (dsDNAs) having 23 complementary bases and two base overhangs (a pair of 25mer oligonucleotides) spontaneously assemble into micro-sized hexagonal platelets in a solution containing poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and salt. Remarkably, the addition of a shorter dsDNA with AA/TT overhangs (a pair of 18mer oligonucleotides) to a PEG-salt solution of 25mer DNA with AA/TT overhangs results in the formation of molecular tubes, each with a central blockage.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

DNA Methylation Pattern and mRNA Expression Level of E-Cadherin and P16 Genes in Thrombotic Disorders.

Clin Appl Thromb Hemost

December 2024

Department of Hematology and Transfusion sciences, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Objective: DNA methylation, as an epigenetic alteration, plays an essential role in the development of atherosclerosis and venous thrombosis. E-cadherin, a tumor suppressor gene and adhesion molecule, has a crucial function in platelet aggregation and hemostasis. P16, a cell cycle regulator, is involved in venous thrombosis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!