title: Role of platelets in allergic airway inflammation.
abstract: Increasing evidence suggests an important role for platelets and their products (e.g., platelet factor 4, β-thromboglobulin, RANTES, thromboxane, or serotonin) in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases. A variety of changes in platelet function have been observed in patients with asthma, such as alterations in platelet secretion, expression of surface molecules, aggregation, and adhesion. Moreover, platelets have been found to actively contribute to most of the characteristic features of asthma, including bronchial hyperresponsiveness, bronchoconstriction, airway inflammation, and airway remodeling. This review brings together the current available data from both experimental and clinical studies that have investigated the role of platelets in allergic airway inflammation and asthma. It is anticipated that a better understanding of the role of platelets in the pathogenesis of asthma might lead to novel promising therapeutic approaches in the treatment of allergic airway diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. Electronic address: marco.idzko@uniklinik-freiburg.de.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Idzko
authors.affiliation: Sackler Institute of Pulmonary Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pitchford
authors.affiliation: Sackler Institute of Pulmonary Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Clive
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Page
mesh_terms: D056151:Airway Remodeling / Q000276:immunology; D001249:Asthma / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016084:Bronchoconstriction / Q000276:immunology; D018946:Chemokine CCL5 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D015539:Platelet Activation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D010974:Platelet Aggregation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D010978:Platelet Factor 4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D012701:Serotonin / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013931:Thromboxanes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D001620:beta-Thromboglobulin / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: C483024:CCL5 protein, human; D018946:Chemokine CCL5; C061615:PPBP protein, human; D013931:Thromboxanes; D001620:beta-Thromboglobulin; D012701:Serotonin; D010978:Platelet Factor 4
keywords: Platelets; T(H)2 sensitization; airway remodeling; asthma pathophysiology; dendritic cells; leukocyte recruitment