ABSTRACT
Platelets are involved in the initiation of atherosclerosis by adherence to inflamed
endothelium. Monocytes bind to these platelets and transmigrate into the vessel wall,
transforming into macrophages and foam cells. We have previously shown that lipid-laden
platelets are phagocytosed by macrophages. In this study we investigated the functional
consequences of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) uptake on platelet function
and interaction with the endothelium. Human platelets were isolated from healthy donors
and activated by adenosine diphosphate. Immunofluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry
revealed that oxLDL is located intracellularly in vesicles. With mepacrine costaining
and confocal microtomography, we were able to identify dense granules as the vesicles
that contain oxLDL. OxLDL-laden platelets induced intercellular adhesion molecule
1 expression in endothelial cells more than exogenous native LDL, oxLDL, and oxLDL-negative
platelets. Furthermore, oxLDL-laden platelets induced foam cell development from CD34+ progenitor cells. On endothelial regeneration, oxLDL-laden platelets had the opposite
effect: The number of CD34+ progenitor cells (colony-forming units) able to transform into endothelial cells
was significantly reduced in the presence of oxLDL-platelets, whereas native LDL had
no effect. Our results demonstrate that activated platelets internalize oxLDL and
that oxLDL-laden platelets activate endothelium, inhibit endothelial regeneration,
and promote foam cell development. Platelet oxLDL contributes significantly to vascular
inflammation and is able to promote atherosclerosis.
KEYWORDS
Platelets - oxLDL - CD34+ progenitor cells - foam cells - endothelial cells - atherosclerosis
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Stephan LindemannM.D.
Medizinische Klinik, Abt. III, Kardiologie und Kreislauferkrankungen
Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str.10, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
Email: Stephan.lindemann@med.uni-tuebingen.de