title: Platelet-mediated vascular dysfunction during acute lung injury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Platelets have significant roles in initiating and mediating reduced alveolar blood flow, microvascular leak, and ventilation/perfusion mismatch caused by metabolic changes and altered signal transduction caused by ischemia-reperfusion.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This review focuses on platelet mechanisms of vascular dysfunction in the lung and presents a hypothesis for interplay between platelet activation, endothelial damage and fibrinogen. The purpose is to discuss current knowledge regarding mechanisms of platelet-mediated endothelial injury and implications for new strategies to treat vascular dysfunction associated with acute lung injury (ALI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Literature from a number of fields was searched using Medline and Google Scholar.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Activated platelets contribute to redox imbalance through reactive oxygen species production, pro-leak molecules such as PAF and serotonin, and recruitment of inflammatory cytokines and leukocytes to the damaged endothelium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Platelets are a critical component of pulmonary ALI, acting in conjunction with fibrinogen to mediate endothelial damage through multiple signal transduction pathways.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, KY 40292, USA.
authors.forename: James T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.forename: Evelyne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gozal
authors.forename: Andrew M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Roberts
mesh_terms: D055371:Acute Lung Injury / Q000150:complications*; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D009569:Nitric Oxide