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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Stephen WhiteORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
© 2024 by the authors.Proteoglycans are differentially expressed in different atherosclerotic plaque phenotypes, with biglycan and decorin characteristic of ruptured plaques and versican and hyaluronan more prominent in eroded plaques. Following plaque disruption, the exposure of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins triggers platelet adhesion and thrombus formation. In this study, the impact of differential plaque composition on platelet function and thrombus formation was investigated. Platelet adhesion, activation and thrombus formation under different shear stress conditions were assessed in response to individual proteoglycans and composites representing different plaque phenotypes. The results demonstrated that all the proteoglycans tested mediated platelet adhesion but not platelet activation, and the extent of adhesion observed was significantly lower than that observed with type I and type III collagens. Thrombus formation upon the rupture and erosion ECM composites was significantly reduced (p < 0.05) compared to relevant collagen alone, indicating that proteoglycans negatively regulate platelet collagen responses. This was supported by results demonstrating that the addition of soluble biglycan or decorin to whole blood markedly reduced thrombus formation on type I collagen (p < 0.05). Interestingly, thrombus formation upon the erosion composite displayed aspirin sensitivity, whereas the rupture composite was intensive to aspirin, having implications for current antiplatelet therapy regimes. In conclusion, differential platelet responses and antiplatelet efficacy are observed on ECM composites phenotypic of plaque rupture and erosion. Proteoglycans inhibit thrombus formation and may offer a novel plaque-specific approach to limit arterial thrombosis.
Author(s): Drysdale A, Blanco-Lopez M, White SJ, Unsworth AJ, Jones S
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Year: 2024
Volume: 25
Issue: 2
Online publication date: 12/01/2024
Acceptance date: 09/01/2024
Date deposited: 06/02/2024
ISSN (print): 1661-6596
ISSN (electronic): 1422-0067
Publisher: MDPI
URL: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25020950
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25020950
Data Access Statement: The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author
PubMed id: 38256024
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