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Semin Thromb Hemost 2015; 41(04): 413-422
DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1549850
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Microparticles: Bridging the Gap between Autoimmunity and Thrombosis

Elena Niccolai
1   Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
,
Giacomo Emmi
1   Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
,
Danilo Squatrito
1   Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
,
Elena Silvestri
1   Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
,
Lorenzo Emmi
2   SOD Interdisciplinary Internal Medicine, Center for Autoimmune Systemic Diseases – Behçet Center and Lupus Clinic – AOU Careggi, Florence, Italy
,
Amedeo Amedei
1   Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
3   Department of Neuro-Skeletal Muscle and Sensory Organs, Interdisciplinary Internal Medicine Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi, Florence, Italy
,
Domenico Prisco
1   Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
3   Department of Neuro-Skeletal Muscle and Sensory Organs, Interdisciplinary Internal Medicine Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi, Florence, Italy
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Publikationsdatum:
12. Mai 2015 (online)

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Abstract

Microparticles (MPs) are irregularly shaped small vesicles of heterogeneous size released from the plasma membrane in a tightly controlled process, after different stimuli. MPs have been associated with proinflammatory effects and also with autoimmune processes, being a source of autoantigenic nuclear material, which can form immune complexes. In addition, recent reports have linked a large number of autoimmune disorders to an increased risk of thrombosis, and MPs seem to promote the potential for thrombotic events. A growing mass of evidence supports the idea that MPs could contribute to the generation of an inflammation-induced hypercoagulability state, having a relevant role in the pathogenesis of the thrombotic phenomena associated to autoimmune disease, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, and systemic vasculitis. In this review, we focus on the procoagulant properties of circulating MPs and analyze their contribution to the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases.

Keywords

microparticles - thrombosis - autoimmunity - inflammation