Systems Immunology of Human Diseases


Platelet-monocyte interaction amplifies thromboinflammation through tissue factor signaling in COVID-19

Accumulating evidence into the pathogenesis of COVID-19 highlights a hypercoagulability state with high risk of life-threatening thromboembolic complications. However, the mechanisms of hypercoagulability and their link to hyperinflammation remain poorly understood. Here, we investigate functions and mechanisms of platelet activation and platelet-monocyte interactions in inflammatory amplification during SARS-CoV-2 infection. We used a combination of immunophenotyping, single-cell analysis, functional assays, and pharmacological approaches to gain insights on mechanisms. Critically ill patients with COVID-19 exhibited increased platelet-monocyte aggregates formation. We identified a subset of inflammatory monocytes presenting high CD16 and low HLA-DR expression as the subset mainly interacting with platelets during severe COVID-19. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis indicated enhanced fibrinogen receptor Mac-1 in monocytes from patients with severe COVID-19. Monocytes from patients with severe COVID-19 displayed increased platelet binding and hyperresponsiveness to P-selectin and fibrinogen with respect to tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β secretion. Platelets were able to orchestrate monocyte responses driving tissue factor (TF) expression, inflammatory activation, and inflammatory cytokines secretion in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Platelet-monocyte interactions ex vivo and in SARS-CoV-2 infection model in vitro reciprocally activated monocytes and platelets, inducing the heightened secretion of a wide panel of inflammatory mediators. We identified platelet adhesion as a primary signaling mechanism inducing mediator secretion and TF expression, whereas TF signaling played major roles in amplifying inflammation by inducing proinflammatory cytokines, especially tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β. Our data identify platelet-induced TF expression and activity at the crossroad of coagulation and inflammation in severe COVID-19.

Authors

Hottz, Eugenio D; Martins-Goni§alves, Remy; Palhinha, Lohanna; Azevedo-Quintanilha, Isaclaudia G; de Campos, Mariana M; Sacramento, Carolina Q; Temerozo, Jairo R; Soares, Vinicius Cardoso; Dias, Suelen S Gomes; Teixeira, Li­via;

External link

https://ashpublications.org/bloodadvances/article/6/17/5085/484924/Platelet-monocyte-interaction-amplifies

Publication Year

2022

Publication Journal

Blood advances

Associeted Project

Microbiology or Immunology

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