Sepsis promotes splenic production of a protective platelet pool with high CD40 ligand expression.


Type
Article
Change log
Authors
Valet, Colin 
Magnen, Mélia 
Qiu, Longhui 
Cleary, Simon J 
Wang, Kristin M 
Abstract

Platelets have a wide range of functions including critical roles in hemostasis, thrombosis, and immunity. We hypothesized that during acute inflammation, such as in life-threatening sepsis, there are fundamental changes in the sites of platelet production and phenotypes of resultant platelets. Here, we showed during sepsis that the spleen was a major site of megakaryopoiesis and platelet production. Sepsis provoked an adrenergic-dependent mobilization of megakaryocyte-erythrocyte progenitors (MEPs) from the bone marrow to the spleen, where IL-3 induced their differentiation into megakaryocytes (MKs). In the spleen, immune-skewed MKs produced a CD40 ligandhi platelet population with potent immunomodulatory functions. Transfusions of post-sepsis platelets enriched from splenic production enhanced immune responses and reduced overall mortality in sepsis-challenged animals. These findings identify a spleen-derived protective platelet population that may be broadly immunomodulatory in acute inflammatory states such as sepsis.

Description
Keywords
Hematology, Hematopoietic stem cells, Innate immunity, Platelets, Stem cells, Animals, Blood Platelets, CD40 Ligand, Megakaryocytes, Sepsis, Spleen
Journal Title
J Clin Invest
Conference Name
Journal ISSN
0021-9738
1558-8238
Volume Title
Publisher
American Society for Clinical Investigation
Sponsorship
European Research Council (648765)
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT)
Cancer Research UK (C61367/A26670)
MRC (MR/V005421/1)
Medical Research Council (MC_PC_17230)
NHS Blood and Transplant European Union's Horizon 2020 (ERC-2014-CoG-648765) MRC-AMED (MR/V005421/1)