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Publications

Journal Article Review Epublish

PubMed: 40692784 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1616783

Platelets in infection: intrinsic roles and functional outcomes.

Front Immunol 16:1616783

Authors: Yuwei Hu, Shuchang Dai, Congchao Qiao, Yifan Ye, Junyi Ren, Kai Wang, Ling Li, Zhong Liu

Affiliations

  • Clinical Transfusion Research Center, Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Chengdu, China. Key Laboratory of Transfusion Adverse Reactions, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China.
  • Clinical Transfusion Research Center, Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Chengdu, China. Key Laboratory of Transfusion Adverse Reactions, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China. Department of Transfusion Medicine, Dazhou Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine Hospital, Dazhou Second People's Hospital, Dazhou, Sichuan, China.
  • State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China.
  • School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
  • School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. Department of Emergency, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
  • Department of Blood Transfusion, The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu (Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University), College of Medicine, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.

Abstract

Platelets have long been acknowledged for their essential roles in hemostasis and thrombosis; however, recent insights highlight their broader involvement as key participants in host responses during infection. Beyond their classical functions, platelets exhibit diverse anti-infective capabilities, such as direct pathogen internalization, receptor-mediated pathogen recognition, the release of antimicrobial peptides, cytokines, and chemokines, and the generation of immunomodulatory extracellular vesicles. These intrinsic platelet attributes enable dynamic interactions with pathogens and immune cells, significantly contributing to pathogen capture, neutralization, and the orchestration of innate and adaptive immune responses. This review examines the multifaceted intrinsic roles of platelets and delineates the beneficial outcomes of their activation, providing an integrated perspective on platelet-driven immunity and defense mechanisms during infection.

MeSH

Immune System Diseases, Immunity, Blood Platelets, Infections