December 08, 2025, 14:00?CET

?

with

?

Prof. Dr. med. Dario Bongiovanni

Professor of Clinical and Translational Research in Cardiology at University Hospital Augsburg/Germany

?

In-person seminar in the Seminar Room (63-U1.040) or online via Zoom
Link and password upon request
Please write an e-mail to:?seminar.umweltmedizin@med.uni-augsburg.de

?

Title:

Role of platelet heterogeneity in coronary artery disease from bench to bedside and back to bench

?

Abstract:

?

Reticulated platelets (RPs) are hyperreactive, RNA-rich platelets linked to higher cardiovascular risk and reduced antiplatelet efficacy in coronary artery disease (CAD), but their underlying biology is unclear.? RPs and mature platelets (MPs) were isolated from CAD patients and compared within donors using RNA-seq, high-dimensional proteomics, and functional assays assessing platelet binding, in vitro thrombosis, spreading, and intracellular signalling. Key pathways were perturbed using PI3K and GPVI inhibitors. In 95 CAD patients, RPs showed increased activation markers and enrichment of prothrombotic pathways. Transcriptomics revealed upregulation of GP6, TBXA2R, VWF, novel GPVI splicing, and RP-specific non-coding RNAs. Proteomics and functional assays demonstrated enhanced PI3K and GPVI signalling, greater phosphorylation of AKT, PI3K, and SYK, increased reactive oxygen species, and augmented aggregation, spreading and thrombus recruitment. These effects were reduced by PI3K (LY294002) and GPVI (Glenzocimab) inhibition.

?

These data highlights RPs' distinct prothrombotic molecular and functional phenotype. Targeting GPVI or PI3K may offer personalised antiplatelet strategies for CAD patients with elevated RPs.