Review article
Platelets and immunity: From physiology to pathologyPlaquettes sanguines et immunité : de la physiologie à la pathologie

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tracli.2017.04.004Get rights and content

Abstract

Blood platelets are cells acting during primary haemostasis. The thrombocytopenia observed in many different types of infectious processes begs the question of the relationship between cells and infectious pathogens and the role of platelets in the detection of biological hazards. This in turn brings us back to the role of platelets – via their molecular, membrane and secretory arsenal – in the detection and repair of vascular hazards. The common denominator between a breakdown of haemostasis and the risk of infection has been shown to be a cutoff point in the inflammatory continuum between physiology and physiopathology. The trophic role of platelets – as topical factor and as platelet transfusions – and their inflammatory complexities appear to correlate this proposed model, as reported in this short review.

Résumé

Les plaquettes sanguines sont les cellules de l’hémostase primaire. L’observation de thrombopénies observées lors de plusieurs types de processus infectieux a permis de questionner la relation entre ces cellules et les pathogènes infectieux et le rôle des plaquettes dans la détection des dangers biologiques. Cela a à son tour permis de revisiter le rôle des plaquettes – via leur arsenal moléculaire membranaire et sécrétoire – dans la détection et la réparation des dangers vasculaires. Le point commun entre la rupture d’hémostase et le risque infectieux a été démontré comme un point de césure dans le continuum inflammatoire, entre physiologie et physiopathologie. L’observation du rôle trophique des plaquettes – comme topiques tissulaires et des transfusions plaquettaires – et leurs complications inflammatoires semblent corréler cette proposition de modèle, ainsi qu’il l’est rapportée dans cette courte revue.

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Disclosure of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interest.

Acknowledgements

Authors wish to acknowledge past and present PhD studies having helped contributing data discussed in the present manuscript, namely Julien Berthet, Sandrine Lafarge, Kin Ahn Nguyen, Chaker Aloui, Sofiane Tariket and Caroline Sut, as well as the former and present heads of the research group, Professor Bruno Pozzetto and Professor Thomas Bourlet for support. Studies cited in this article have been made possible through grants from Établissement français du sang, Agence nationale de la santé et

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