Therapeutic implication of platelets in liver regeneration –hopes and hues

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Mounting evidence highlights platelet involvement in liver regeneration via interaction with liver cells, growth factors release, and signaling contributions. Existing research suggests a compelling biological rationale for utilizing platelet biology, with the goal of improving liver function and accelerating its regenerative potential. Despite its expanding application in several clinical areas, the contribution of the platelet and its therapeutic implementation in liver regeneration so far has not yet fulfilled the initial high expectations.

Areas covered: This review scrutinizes the progress, current updates, and discusses how recent understanding – particularly in the clinical implications of platelet-based therapy – may enable strategies to introduce and harness the therapeutic potential of the platelet during liver regeneration.

Expert commentary: Several clinical and translational studies have facilitated a platform for the development of platelet-based therapy to enhance liver regeneration. While some of these therapies are effective to augment liver regeneration, the others have had some detrimental outcomes. The existing evidence represents a challenge for future projects that are focused on directly incorporating platelet-based therapies to induce liver regeneration.

KEYWORDS:

• Liver regeneration
• platelets
• liver resection
• liver transplantation
• intra-platelet growth factors
• platelet transfusion
• thrombopoietin analogue

Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Samir Lamichhane (School of Medicine, Washington University of Barbados) for his kind assistance in editing the figure. We thank Dr. James IDM Matheson (Hope Citadel Healthcare, Great Manchester) and Miss Merina Pandey (Kathmandu Medical College) for the grammatical review of the manuscript and their kind assistance.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer Disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

Dr. Bibek Aryal is a fellow of Japan society for the promotion of science (JSPS). This study is supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Numbers JP18F16420,  JP16H05229 and JP26293130.