title: Polyphosphate: an ancient molecule that links platelets, coagulation, and inflammation.
abstract: Inorganic polyphosphate is widespread in biology and exhibits striking prohemostatic, prothrombotic, and proinflammatory effects in vivo. Long-chain polyphosphate (of the size present in infectious microorganisms) is a potent, natural pathophysiologic activator of the contact pathway of blood clotting. Medium-chain polyphosphate (of the size secreted from activated human platelets) accelerates factor V activation, completely abrogates the anticoagulant function of tissue factor pathway inhibitor, enhances fibrin clot structure, and greatly accelerates factor XI activation by thrombin. Polyphosphate may have utility as a hemostatic agent, whereas antagonists of polyphosphate may function as novel antithrombotic/anti-inflammatory agents. The detailed molecular mechanisms by which polyphosphate modulates blood clotting reactions remain to be elucidated.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Department, University of Illinois, 506 S Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL 61801, USA. jhmorris@illinois.edu
authors.forename: James H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Morrissey
authors.forename: Sharon H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Stephanie A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005337:Fibrin / Q000378:metabolism; D006487:Hemostasis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D010973:Platelet Adhesiveness / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011122:Polyphosphates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013917:Thrombin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011122:Polyphosphates; D005337:Fibrin; D013917:Thrombin