Markers of platelet activation and apoptosis in platelet concentrates collected by apheresis

Recovery of platelet-rich red blood cells and acquisition of convalescent plasma with a novel gravity-driven blood separation device

Objectives

Our objectives were to determine the separation characteristics and blood product quality of a gravity‐driven microfiltration blood separation system (HemoClear, The Netherlands).

Background

A range of centrifugal blood separation devices, including intraoperative cell salvage devices (cell savers) and apheresis machines, are available to assist in preparing both allogenic and autologous blood products. These devices are expensive to operate and require extensive training.

Methods and Materials

Nine whole blood units were collected under standard conditions and analysed for haematological parameters, thromboelastographic properties, platelet morphology and activation, and red blood cell (RBC) deformability and morphology. Three whole blood units were separated by means of the HemoClear device, into a liquid and cellular component. The cellular component was diluted with SAGM and cold stored for 14 days. To simulate cell salvage six whole blood units were diluted with isotonic saline, followed by multiple HemoClear separation rounds.

Results

The recovery of both RBCs (100 ± 1.6%) and white blood cells (99 ± 4.5%) after undiluted filtration were very high, while platelet recovery was high (83 ± 3.0%). During the filtration, and cold storage after filtration storage both the non‐deformable RBC fraction and the RBC maximum elongation remained stable. Parameters of thromboelastography indicated that platelets remain functional after filtration and after 7 days of cold storage. In the cell salvage simulation the total protein load in the cellular fraction was reduced by 65 ± 4.1% after one washing round and 84 ± 1.9% after two consecutive washing rounds.

Conclusion

The novel blood filter studied effectively separates whole blood into diluted plasma and platelet‐rich RBCs. Moreover, the device effectively washed diluted whole blood, driving over 80% of proteins to the liquid component.

The role of microRNAs in platelet biology during storage

Platelet storage lesions seriously affect the quality of stored platelets, even causing them to be ineffective in vivo after transfusion. Past research have been focused on what mechanism(s) cause the formation of storage lesions. One proposed mechanism is microRNAs (miRNAs)-based molecular regulation of the platelet mRNAs that are relevant to the storage lesion. Platelets continue to translate proteins from mRNA while in a storage environment. A strong correlation exists between the platelet transcriptome and its subsequent proteomic profile, which supports de novo platelet translational capabilities. Thus, miRNA may play a crucial role in platelet biology during storage conditions. Importantly, this suggests the exciting possibility of post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in platelets that are in storage. Given this, the differential profiling of miRNAs could be a useful tool in identifying changes to ex vivo stored platelets. Any identified miRNAs could then be considered as potential markers to assess the viability of platelet concentrates. The present review summarizes the current experimental and clinical evidence that clarifies the role miRNAs play during platelet ex vivo storage.

Platelets Proteomic Profiles of Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients

Platelets play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of stroke and antiplatelet agents exist for its treatment and prevention. Through the use of LC-MS based protein expression profiling, platelets from stroke patients were analyzed and then correlated with the proteomic analyses results in the context of this disease. This study was based on patients who post ischemic stroke were admitted to hospital and had venous blood drawn within 24 hrs of the incidence. Label-free protein expression analyses of the platelets' tryptic digest was performed in triplicate on a UPLC-ESI-qTOF-MS/MS system and ProteinLynx Global Server (v2.5, Waters) was used for tandem mass data extraction. The peptide sequences were searched against the reviewed homo sapiens database (www.uniprot.org) and the quantitation of protein variation was achieved through Progenesis LC-MS software (V4.0, Nonlinear Dynamics). These Label-free differential proteomics analysis of platelets ensured that 500 proteins were identified and 83 of these proteins were found to be statistically significant. The differentially expressed proteins are involved in various processes such as inflammatory response, cellular movement, immune cell trafficking, cell-to-cell signaling and interaction, hematological system development and function and nucleic acid metabolism. The expressions of myeloperoxidase, arachidonate 12-Lipoxygenase and histidine-rich glycoprotein are involved in cellular metabolic processes, crk-like protein and ras homolog gene family member A involved in cell signaling with vitronectin, thrombospondin 1, Integrin alpha 2b, and integrin beta 3 involved in cell adhesion. Apolipoprotein H, immunoglobulin heavy constant gamma 1 and immunoglobulin heavy constant gamma 3 are involved in structural, apolipoprotein A-I, and alpha-1-microglobulin/bikunin precursor is involved in transport, complement component 3 and clusterin is involved in immunity proteins as has been discussed. Our data provides an insight into the proteins that are involved in the platelets' activation response during ischemic stroke. It could be argued that this study lays the foundation for future mechanistic studies.

Detection of apoptosis-associated microRNA in human apheresis platelets during storage by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis

BACKGROUND

Platelet transfusion is an essential part of the treatment of a variety of conditions such as thrombocytopenia and qualitative platelet disorders. As indicated in previous reports, during in vitro storage, platelets undergo morphological and physiological changes collectively known as the platelet storage lesion. Apoptosis is a programmed process of cell death, which has been considered as an important cause of platelet storage lesion under the common storage conditions in standard blood banks. Platelets are anucleate blood cells, but contain significant amounts of microRNA (miRNA, miR), which may play an important role in the regulation of gene expression. Drawing on previously published reports on cell apoptosis, we selected 49 miRNA for analysis to explore whether miRNA are of importance during the storage of platelets.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We used quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis to determine the levels of expression of miRNA in apheresis platelets at different times of storage. Bioinformatics analysis was applied to explore target genes and the main functions of the selected miRNA.

RESULTS

Our observations suggest that apheresis platelets contain large amounts of apoptosis-associated miRNA. The levels of expression of 25 miRNA remained high and ten of these miRNA showed different expression from that at day 0. Of these ten miRNA, hsa-miR-326, hsa-miR-96, hsa-miR-16, hsa-miR-155 and hsa-miR-150 were up-regulated, while hsa-miR-7, hsa-miR-145, hsa-miR-24, hsa-miR-25 and hsa-miR-15a were down-regulated. The markedly increased expression of hsa-miR-326 in all platelets is noteworthy (p<0.001).

DISCUSSION

Since Bcl-xl and Bak1, members of the Bcl-2 family, are the targets of hsa-miR-326, our findings suggest that hsa-miR-326 may be involved in platelet apoptosis during storage.

In vitro platelet quality in storage containers used for pediatric transfusions

BACKGROUND

The in vitro quality of small-volume platelet (PLT) aliquots for pediatric transfusions was assessed to determine the best practice approach.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Small volumes (50 mL) of single apheresis PLT components (APCs), collected on either CaridianBCT Trima or Haemonetics MCS+ instruments, were aliquoted on Days 2, 3, 4, and 5 postcollection into Fenwal PL1240 or 4R2014 bags or 60-mL polypropylene syringes. Samples were tested for in vitro quality at their recommended expiry times (4 hr for 4R2014 bags and syringes or Day 5 for PL1240 bags). Assays included pH, CD62P expression, and metabolic measures.

RESULTS

CD62P expression increased throughout storage in all containers. Among the small-volume containers, pH, pCO(2) , lactate, and bicarbonate varied considerably. Regardless of the day of aliquoting, pCO(2) was significantly higher and pO(2) was significantly lower in gas-impermeable syringes than other containers. No bacterial growth was detected in any sample.

CONCLUSION

The quality of APCs aliquoted into small-volume containers meets regulatory requirements and is generally equivalent to that of full-volume APCs at expiry.

Membrane array-based differential profiling of platelets during storage for 52 miRNAs associated with apoptosis

BACKGROUND

Enucleated platelets (PLTs) utilize posttranscriptional gene (mRNA) regulation (PTGR) for their normal morphologic and physiologic functions, which are altered in their ex vivo storage, also collectively referred to as storage lesions. While cellular micro-RNAs (miRNAs) play a significant role in posttranscriptional gene (mRNA) regulation by binding to their target mRNAs, comprehensive analysis of apoptosis-associated miRNAs and global changes in their profiles during PLT storage have not been evaluated to date.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

In this report room temperature-stored PLTs of Days 0, 2, and 9 were analyzed by differential profiling for 52 apoptosis-associated human miRNAs. After total RNA extraction from the samples, a membrane array-based miRNA analysis was carried out. Prediction of target genes was performed by bioinformatics-based approaches.

RESULTS

Our analysis revealed that during storage, Let-7a, -7c, -7e, -7f, -7g, and -7i miRNA profiles of the PLTs were barely detectable, while levels of miR-150, -151, -152, -184, -188, -196a, -197, and -202 remained at high levels in PLTs. The rest of the miRNA levels were in between. However, two miRNAs, Let-7b and miR-16, distinctly demonstrated an increasing trend while miR-7 and miR-145 showed a decreasing profile during PLT storage. For these four miRNAs, we also identified their potential target mRNAs.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, these results confirm the fact that miRNAs do exist in PLTs, and among 52 apoptosis-specific miRNAs studied, only a few selected miRNAs did perturb during PLT storage. Future experimental evaluation of these miRNA-target mRNA interactions will provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of PLT storage-associated lesions.