Platelets protect lung from injury induced by systemic inflammatory response.
Systemic inflammatory responses can severely injure lungs, prompting efforts to explore how to attenuate such injury. Here we explored whether platelets can help attenuate lung injury in mice resulting from extracorporeal circulation (ECC)-induced systemic inflammatory responses. Mice were subjected to ECC for 30 min, then treated with phosphate-buffered saline, platelets, the GPIIb/IIIa inhibitor Tirofiban, or the combination of platelets and Tirofiban. Blood and lung tissues were harvested 60 min later, and lung injury and inflammatory status were assessed. As expected, ECC caused systemic inflammation and pulmonary dysfunction, and platelet transfusion resulted in significantly milder lung injury and higher lung function. It also led to greater numbers of circulating platelet-leukocyte aggregates and greater platelet accumulation in the lung. Platelet transfusion was associated with higher production of transforming growth factor-β and as well as lower levels of tumour necrosis factor-α and neutrophil elastase in plasma and lung. None of these platelet effects was observed in the presence of Tirofiban. Our results suggest that, at least under certain conditions, platelets can protect lung from injury induced by systemic inflammatory responses.
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041 China.
Shuhua
S
Luo
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041 China.
Yabo
Y
Wang
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041 China.
Qi
Q
An
Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041 China.
Hao
H
Chen
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041 China.
Junfei
J
Zhao
Department of Anesthesiology and Translational Neuroscience Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041 China.
Jie
J
Zhang
Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041 China.
Wentong
W
Meng
Department of Anesthesiology and Translational Neuroscience Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041 China.
Lei
L
Du
D000818:Animals; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000502:physiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase / Q000032:analysis; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D055370:Lung Injury / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D018746:Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000032:analysis; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase