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Abstract
Platelets are small, anucleate circulating cells that possess a dynamic repertoire of functions spanning the hemostatic, inflammatory, and immune continuum. Once thought to be merely cell fragments with responses limited primarily to acute hemostasis and vascular wall repair, platelets are now increasingly recognized as key sentinels and effector cells regulating host responses to many inflammatory and infectious cues. Platelet granules, including α-granules and dense-granules, store hundreds of factors and secrete these mediators in response to activating signals. The cargo packaged and stored within platelet granules orchestrates communication between platelets and other circulating cells, augments host defense mechanisms to invading pathogens and tumor cells, and – in some settings – drives dysregulated and injurious responses. This focused review will highlight several of the established and emerging mechanisms and roles of platelet secretion in inflammatory and infectious diseases.
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Acknowledgments
We thank Ms. Diana Lim for her creativity with the excellent figure preparations and Ms. Kendra Richardson for her outstanding editorial assistance.
Declaration of interest
The authors have no relevant conflicts of interest to disclose.
Funding
This work was supported by the NIA (AG048022 to Matthew T. Rondina), the NHLBI (HL126547 and HL112311 to Matthew T. Rondina), the Chinese Foreign Ministry (Shang Chun Xiang), and the George E. Wahlen VA GRECC (Matthew T. Rondina).
This material is the result of work supported with resources and the use of facilities at the George E. Wahlen VA Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah. The sponsor had no role in the design or preparation of paper. The contents do not represent the views of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States Government.