Nucleation of platelets with blood-borne pathogens on Kupffer cells precedes other innate immunity and contributes to bacterial clearance

CHY Wong, CN Jenne, B Petri, NL Chrobok… - Nature …, 2013 - nature.com
CHY Wong, CN Jenne, B Petri, NL Chrobok, P Kubes
Nature immunology, 2013nature.com
Through the use of intravital imaging of the liver, we demonstrate a collaborative role for
platelets with Kupffer cells (KCs) in eradicating blood-borne bacterial infection. Under basal
conditions, platelets, via the platelet-adhesion receptor GPIb, formed transient'touch-and-
go'interactions with von Willebrand factor (vWF) constitutively expressed on KCs. Bacteria
such as Bacillus cereus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were
rapidly caught by KCs and triggered platelets to switch from'touch-and-go'adhesion to …
Abstract
Through the use of intravital imaging of the liver, we demonstrate a collaborative role for platelets with Kupffer cells (KCs) in eradicating blood-borne bacterial infection. Under basal conditions, platelets, via the platelet-adhesion receptor GPIb, formed transient 'touch-and-go' interactions with von Willebrand factor (vWF) constitutively expressed on KCs. Bacteria such as Bacillus cereus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were rapidly caught by KCs and triggered platelets to switch from 'touch-and-go' adhesion to sustained GPIIb-mediated adhesion on the KC surface to encase the bacterium. Infected GPIbα-deficient mice had more endothelial and KC damage than did their wild-type counterparts, which led to more fluid leakage, substantial polycythemia and rapid mortality. Our study identifies a previously unknown surveillance mechanism by which platelets survey macrophages that rapidly converts to a critical host response to blood-borne bacteria.
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