title: Thrombin Maybe Plays an Important Role in MK Differentiation into Platelets.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  After development and differentiation, megakaryocytes (MKs) can produce platelets. As is well known, thrombopoietin (TPO) can induce MKs to differentiate. The effect of thrombin on MKs differentiation is not clear. In this study, we used a human megakaryoblastic leukemia cell line (Meg-01) to assess the effect of thrombin on MKs differentiation.
  
  
  METHODS
  In order to interrogate the role of thrombin in Meg-01 cells differentiation, the changes of morphology, cellular function, and expression of diverse factors were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results show that thrombin suppresses Meg-01 cells proliferation and induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Thrombin upregulates the expression of CD41b, which is one of the most important MK markers. Globin transcription factor 1 (GATA-1), an important transcriptional regulator, controls MK development and maturation. The expression of GATA-1 is also upregulated by thrombin in Meg-01 cells. The expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), an apoptosis-inhibitory protein, is downregulated by thrombin. Phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-AKT) and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK) were upregulated by thrombin in Meg-01 cells. All the results are consistent with Meg-01 cells treated with TPO.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, all these data indicate that thrombin maybe plays an important role in MK differentiation into platelets. However, whether the platelet-like particles are certainly platelets remains unknown.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Hematology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing 100850, China; College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Lei
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Hematology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing 100850, China.
authors.forename: Meng-Kai
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Hematology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing 100850, China.
authors.forename: De-Kui
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China.
authors.forename: Ying-Tao
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: The 107th Hospital of PLA and The Affiliated Hospital of Bin Zhou Medical University, Yantai 264000, China.
authors.forename: Shu-Yan
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Hematology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing 100850, China.
authors.forename: Ai-Ping
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D048429:Cell Size / Q000187:drug effects; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D039661:Integrin beta3; D008533:Megakaryocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D013917:Thrombin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: C061248:ITGB3 protein, human; D039661:Integrin beta3; D013917:Thrombin