Project description:Early diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in the pre-leukemic stage remains a clinical challenge, as pre-leukemic patients show no symptoms, lacking any known morphological or numerical abnormalities in blood cells. Here, we demonstrate that platelets with structurally abnormal mitochondria emerge at the pre-leukemic phase of AML, preceding detectable changes in blood cell counts or detection of leukemic blasts in blood. We visualized frozen-hydrated platelets from mice at different time points during AML development in situ using electron cryo-tomography (cryo-ET) and identified intracellular organelles through an unbiased semi-automatic process followed by quantitative measurement. A large proportion of platelets exhibited changes in the overall shape and depletion of organelles in AML. Notably, 23% of platelets in pre-leukemic cells exhibit abnormal, round mitochondria with unfolded cristae, accompanied by a significant drop in ATP levels and altered expression of metabolism-related gene signatures. Our study demonstrates that detectable structural changes in pre-leukemic platelets may serve as a biomarker for the early diagnosis of AML.
Project description:A 3D multicellular model (MCM) of high grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) consisting of primary human adipocytes, fibroblasts, and mesothelial cells co-cultured with HGSOC cell lines was used to examine the effect of platelets on the ovarian metastasis microenvironment.
Project description:Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) activates platelets through the action of adjacent sinusoidal cells. Activated platelets bind to tumor-associated endothelial cells and release growth factors that promote tumor progression. We hypothesized that tumor inhibitors encapsulated in platelets would function as drug carriers for tumor therapy. We propose a therapeutic strategy for HCC using autologous platelets encapsulating multiple tyrosine kinase inhibitors in a rat chemically-induced HCC model. Sorafenib or lenvatinib was encapsulated in platelets isolated from tumor-bearing rats in vitro. The rats were divided into groups that received repeated intravenous injections (twice a week for 10 weeks) of the following materials: placebo, sorafenib (SOR), lenvatinib (LEN), autologous platelets, autologous platelets encapsulating sorafenib (SOR-PLT), and autologous platelets encapsulating lenvatinib (LEN-PLT). The therapeutic effect was then analyzed by ultrasonography (US) and histopathological analysis. Histopathological and US analysis demonstrated extensive tumor necrosis in the tumor tissue of SOR-PLT or LEN-PLT, but not in other experimental groups. By liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, more abundant sorafenib was detected in tumor tissues after SOR-PLT administration than in surrounding normal tissues, but no such difference in sorafenib level was observed with SOR administration. Therefore, the use of autologous platelets encapsulating drugs might be a novel therapeutic strategy for HCC. We investigated the effect of the drug encapsulation process on the degradation of resident mRNA inherited from megakaryocytes in platelets.
Project description:Despite abundant evidence demonstrating that platelets foster metastasis, anti- platelet agents have low therapeutic potential due to the risk of hemorrhages. In addition, whether platelets can regulate metastasis at the late stages of the disease remains unknown. In this study, we subjected syngeneic models of metastasis to various thrombocytopenic regimes to show that platelets provide a biphasic contribution to metastasis. While potent intravascular binding of platelets to tumor cells efficiently promotes metastasis, platelets further support the outgrowth of established metastases via immune suppression. Genetic depletion and pharmacological targeting of the platelet-specific receptor GPVI in humanized mouse models efficiently reduced the growth of established metastases, independently of active platelet binding to tumor cells in the bloodstream. Our study is the first to demonstrate therapeutic efficacy when targeting animals bearing growing metastases. It further identifies GPVI as the first molecular target whose inhibition can impair metastasis without inducing collateral hemostatic perturbations.
Project description:To compare immature and mature platelet transcriptome Methods: reticulated or immature platelets(RPs) were defined as the platelets with the highest thiazole orange staining intensity (15% highest, RNAhigh) according to previous experiences and mature platelets were defined as the platelet with the 30% lowest thiazole orange staining intensity (RNAlow) and sorted (supplemental Figure S1D). RPs have a prothrombotic transcriptomic profile
Project description:Viruses can directly interact with platelets and modulate their function. Viral impact on platelet activation, and platelet-mediated modulations of innate and adaptive immune responses. Human herpesvirus 4, also known as Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) interaction with platelets occurs via complement receptor 2 (CR2), but the exact mechanism of action with platelets is still poorly understood. Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), is extremely efficient at establishing a persistent life-long infection in human B cells. In the present study, GeneChips were performed in human platelets from three normal donors infected with the EBV-containing supernatant of the B95.8 marmoset cell line in vitro.