Acquired Antibodies to αIIbβ3 in Glanzmann Thrombasthenia: From Transfusion and Pregnancy to Bone Marrow Transplants and beyond

Patients with the inherited bleeding disorder Glanzmann thrombasthenia (GT) possess platelets that lack αIIbβ3 integrin, fail to aggregate, and have moderate to severe mucocutaneous bleeding. Many become refractory to platelet transfusions due to the formation of iso-antibodies to αIIbβ3 with the rapid elimination of donor platelets and/or a block of function. Epitope characterization has shown is o-antibodies to be polyclonal and to recognize different epitopes on the integrin with β3 a major site and αvβ3 on endothelial and vascular cells a newly recognized target.
Source: Transfusion Medicine Reviews - Category: Hematology Authors: Source Type: research