title: Characterization of the platelet transcriptome by RNA sequencing in patients with acute myocardial infarction.
abstract: Transcripts in platelets are largely produced in precursor megakaryocytes but remain physiologically active as platelets translate RNAs and regulate protein/RNA levels. Recent studies using transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) characterized the platelet transcriptome in limited number of non-diseased individuals. Here, we expand upon these RNA-seq studies by completing RNA-seq in platelets from 32 patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI). Our goals were to characterize the platelet transcriptome using a population of patients with acute MI and relate gene expression to platelet aggregation measures and ST-segment elevation MI (STEMI) (n = 16) vs. non-STEMI (NSTEMI) (n = 16) subtypes. Similar to other studies, we detected 9565 expressed transcripts, including several known platelet-enriched markers (e.g. PPBP, OST4). Our RNA-seq data strongly correlated with independently ascertained platelet expression data and showed enrichment for platelet-related pathways (e.g. wound response, hemostasis, and platelet activation), as well as actin-related and post-transcriptional processes. Several transcripts displayed suggestively higher (FBXL4, ECHDC3, KCNE1, TAOK2, AURKB, ERG, and FKBP5) and lower (MIAT, PVRL3, and PZP) expression in STEMI platelets compared to NSTEMI. We also identified transcripts correlated with platelet aggregation to TRAP (ATP6V1G2, SLC2A3), collagen (CEACAM1, ITGA2), and ADP (PDGFB, PDGFC, ST3GAL6). Our study adds to current platelet gene expression resources by providing transcriptome-wide analyses in platelets isolated from patients with acute MI. In concert with prior studies, we identify various genes for further study in regards to platelet function and acute MI. Future platelet RNA-seq studies examining more diverse sets of healthy and diseased samples will add to our understanding of platelet thrombotic and non-thrombotic functions.
authors.affiliation: a The Framingham Heart Study , Framingham , MA , USA .|b National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Division of Intramural Research, Population Sciences Branch , Bethesda , MD , USA .
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Eicher
authors.affiliation: c National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Division of Intramural Research, DNA Sequencing and Genomics Core Laboratory , Bethesda , MD , USA .
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wakabayashi
authors.affiliation: d Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine , University of Massachusetts Medical School , Worcester , MA , USA , and.
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vitseva
authors.affiliation: e Memorial Heart and Vascular Center, University of Massachusetts , Worcester , MA , USA.
authors.forename: Nada
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Esa
authors.affiliation: c National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Division of Intramural Research, DNA Sequencing and Genomics Core Laboratory , Bethesda , MD , USA .
authors.forename: Yanqin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: c National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Division of Intramural Research, DNA Sequencing and Genomics Core Laboratory , Bethesda , MD , USA .
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: e Memorial Heart and Vascular Center, University of Massachusetts , Worcester , MA , USA.
authors.forename: Jane E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Freedman
authors.affiliation: e Memorial Heart and Vascular Center, University of Massachusetts , Worcester , MA , USA.
authors.forename: David D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: McManus
authors.affiliation: a The Framingham Heart Study , Framingham , MA , USA .|b National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Division of Intramural Research, Population Sciences Branch , Bethesda , MD , USA .
authors.forename: Andrew D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D015539:Platelet Activation; D010974:Platelet Aggregation; D010979:Platelet Function Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D059467:Transcriptome
keywords: Gene expression; RNA-seq; myocardial infarction; platelet aggregation