title: Platelets release thrombopoietin (Tpo) upon activation: another regulatory loop in thrombocytopoiesis?
abstract: Thrombopoietin is produced at a constant rate by the liver and kidney and is removed from the circulation upon binding and subsequent uptake via the Tpo receptor, c-Mpl, expressed by platelets and mega-karyocytes. Apart from uptake, this study shows that platelets can also function as a storage pool for Tpo. Upon stimulation with various platelet agonists, full-length biologically active Tpo was released by platelets. Platelet fractionation experiments indicated that this Tpo most likely is contained in the granules. When platelets were preincubated with Tpo-peptide mimetic or truncated Tpo prior to maximal activation, a three- to fivefold increment in Tpo release was seen. whereas, the release of other granule proteins such as vWF-propeptide or serotonin remained unchanged. Therefore, the Mpl agonists might compete with Mpl-bound Tpo, thereby releasing Tpo into the platelet supernatant. Intravascular release of Tpo by platelets might occur in patients with massive platelet activation, as occurs in patients with disseminated intravascular coagulation. The Tpo concentration in these patients is elevated (p <0.01) and correlates with markers for thrombin generation, TAT complexes and F1+2(r(p)= 0.8 and 0.9; p <0.01). This suggests that the increment in Tpo concentration was attributed to Tpo release by activated platelets in vivo, which might be instrumental in subsequent stimulation of thrombocytopoiesis.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Haematology, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Folman
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Linthorst
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Mourik
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: van Willigen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de Jonge
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Levi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Haas
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: von dem Borne
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000502:physiology; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004211:Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D015539:Platelet Activation / Q000502:physiology*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018121:Receptors, Cytokine; D053628:Receptors, Thrombopoietin; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000737:chemistry; D013917:Thrombin / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013926:Thrombopoietin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D018121:Receptors, Cytokine; D053628:Receptors, Thrombopoietin; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C082218:MPL protein, human; D013926:Thrombopoietin; D013917:Thrombin