What Can Proteomics Tell Us About Platelets? (original) (raw)

2014, Circulation Research

More than 130 years ago it was recognized that platelets are key mediators of hemostasis. Nowadays, it is established that platelets participate in additional physiological processes and contribute to the genesis and progression of cardiovascular diseases. Recent data indicate that the platelet proteome, defined as the complete set of expressed proteins, comprises over 5,000 proteins and is highly similar between different healthy individuals. Owing to their anucleate nature platelets have limited protein synthesis. By implication, in patients suffering from platelet disorders, platelet (dys)function is almost completely attributable to alterations in protein expression and/or dynamic differences in post-translational modifications (PTM). Modern platelet proteomics approaches can reveal (i) quantitative changes in the abundance of thousands of proteins and (ii) PTM, (iii) protein-protein interactions, and (iv) protein localization, while requiring only small blood donations in the range of a few mL.