Platelet-monocyte interaction in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection

The immune effects of platelets and platelet-leukocyte aggregation are increasingly recognized. We studied the occurrence of platelet-monocyte aggregation (PMA) in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), the processes underlying PMA and consequences for cytokine responses.In a cross-sectional study involving 65 Tanzanian TB patients in different phases of treatment and 29 healthy controls, TB patients had a significantly higher PMA. This increased PMA in TB patients was associated with increased monocyte CCR5, CD16 expression and PF4, but not with increased membrane-expressed or soluble P-selectin expression.

Source: Tuberculosis - May 8, 2018 Category: Respiratory Medicine Authors: Vesla Kullaya, Andre van der Ven, Stellah Mpagama, Blandina T. Mmbaga, Philip de Groot, Gibson Kibiki, Quirijn de Mast Source Type: research