Platelet CD40L at the interface of adaptive immunity

• Published in: Thrombosis research Vol. 127; no. 3; pp. 180 - 183
• Main Authors: Elzey, Bennett D., Ratliff, Timothy L., Sowa, Jennifer M., Crist, Scott A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2011
• Subjects: Adaptive Immunity; Animals; B lymphocyte; Blood Platelets - immunology; CD40 Ligand - immunology; CD40L; Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine; Humans; Immunity; Inflammation; Platelet; T lymphocyte; CD40L; IFNγ; RANTES; Ad5mOVA; B lymphocyte; Inflammation; SLE; Immunity; sCD40L; Platelet; CTL; T lymphocyte; GC; DC; interferon gamma; soluble CD40L; regulated upon activation normal T cell expressed and secreted; CD40 Ligand (also CD154); germinal center; systemic lupus erythematosus; cytotoxic T lymphocyte; adenovirus serotype 5 recombinant for membrane-bound chicken ovalbumin; dendritic cell
• ISSN: 0049-3848; 1879-2472; 1879-2472
• DOI: 10.1016/j.thromres.2010.10.011

Initiated by the finding that platelets express functional CD40 ligand (CD40L, CD154), many new roles for platelets have been discovered in unanticipated areas, including the immune response. When current literature is considered as a whole, the picture that is emerging begins to show that platelets are able to significantly affect, for better or worse, the overall health and condition of the mammalian host. Animal models have made significant contributions to our expanding knowledge of platelet function, much of which is anticipated to be clinically relevant. While still mostly circumstantial, the evidence supports a critical role for CD40L in many normal and disease processes.