Sepsis alters the transcriptional and translational landscape of human and murine platelets

There is increasing recognition that platelets have a functional role in the pathophysiology of sepsis, though this role has not been precisely defined. Whether sepsis alters the human platelet transcriptome and translational landscape has never been established. We used parallel techniques of RNA sequencing and ribosome footprint profiling to interrogate the platelet transcriptome and translatome in septic patients and healthy donors. We identified 1806 significantly differentially expressed (false discovery rate <0.05) transcripts in platelets from septic patients. Platelet translational events during sepsis were also upregulated. To explore the relevance of a murine model of sepsis, cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), we compared sepsis-induced changes in platelet gene expression between septic patients and mice subjected to CLP. Platelet transcriptional ( = 0.42, P = 3.2 x 10–285) and translational ( = 0.65, P = 1.09 x 10–56) changes were significantly correlated between septic patients and mice. We focused on ITGA2B, tracking and validating the expression, regulation, and functional impact of changes in ITGA2B during sepsis. Increased ITGA2B was identified in bone marrow megakaryocytes within 24 hours of sepsis onset. Subsequent increases in ITGA2B were seen in circulating platelets, suggesting dynamic trafficking of the messenger RNA. Transcriptional changes in ITGA2B were accompanied by de novo protein synthesis of αIIb and integrin αIIbβ...

Source: Blood - September 18, 2019 Category: Hematology Authors: Middleton, E. A., Rowley, J. W., Campbell, R. A., Grissom, C. K., Brown, S. M., Beesley, S. J., Schwertz, H., Kosaka, Y., Manne, B. K., Krauel, K., Tolley, N. D., Eustes, A. S., Guo, L., Paine, R., Harris, E. S., Zimmerman, G. A., Weyrich, A. S., Rondina, Tags: Plenary Papers, Platelets and Thrombopoiesis Source Type: research