Summary
Platelets have a central function in repairing vascular damage and stopping acute
blood loss. They are equally central to thrombus formation in cardiovascular diseases
such as myocardial infarction and ischaemic stroke. Beyond these classical prothrombotic
diseases, immune mediated pathologies such as haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) or
paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) also feature an increased tendency to form
thrombi in various tissues. It has become increasingly clear that the complement system,
part of the innate immune system, has an important role in the pathophysiology of
these diseases. Not only does complement influence prothrombotic disease, it is equally
involved in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), an autoimmune disease characterised
by thrombocytopenia. Thus, there are complex interrelationships between the haemostatic
and immune systems, and platelets and complement in particular. Not only does complement
influence platelet diseases such as ITP, HUS and PNH, it also mediates interaction
between microbes and platelets during systemic infection, influencing the course of
infection and development of protective immunity. This review aims to provide an integrative
overview of the mechanisms underlying the interactions between complement and platelets
in health and disease.
Keywords
Platelets - complement - inflammation - infectious disease - ITP - HUS - PNH