Platelets are multiform, complex and versatile blood components that play a plethora of unexpected and experimentally unexplored roles. On the edge between beneficial or harmful activities, platelets are capable of harboring infectious viral and non-viral pathogens, therefore, acting as Trojan horses for pathogen dissemination. They can directly participate and actively interfere with immune responses to these pathogens allowing antigen presentation or serving as a safe shelter for these pathogens against immune surveillance. Platelets are thus an invaluable physiological cellular model for fundamental research on host-pathogen interaction such as antigen presentation, pathogen endocytosis, exocytosis of virulence factors or inflammatory mediators as well as cell-to-cell microorganism transfers. Even less explored is their mother cell, the megakaryocyte, an exceptional and mysterious cell, polyploid and gigantic in size. Its ability to migrate to the lungs and produce platelets locally is also the subject of recent and remarkable discoveries including their implication in infectious respiratory diseases like COVID-19.
This Research Topic is dedicated to platelets and megakaryocytes targeted, subverted, exploited, or functionally modulated by pathogens, directly or indirectly, in their battle for host cell organism establishment and multiplication. The role of platelets and their progenitors still bears unexplored mysteries and recent discoveries have challenged the traditional concept of platelets as a simple haemostatic cell. Moreover, platelets and megakaryocytes are largely unexplored therapeutic targets for infectious diseases. Thus, this Research Topic aims at deepening our understanding of the yet uncharted functions of platelets as well as opening new avenues of research for the treatment of infectious diseases.
We welcome the submissions of Original Research, Review, and Mini-Review articles approaching, but not limited to, the following subtopics:
- The role of platelets and megakaryocytes as host cells for pathogens at cellular and molecular levels.
- Platelets and megakaryocytes dysfunctions caused by direct interaction with pathogens.
- Platelet subset differences in infectious diseases and their functional consequences
- Role of platelets and megakaryocytes as antigen-presenting cells for intracellular pathogens.
- Pathogen-induced dysfunctional thrombo- and megakaryopoiesis.
- Role of lung megakaryocytes and resulting thrombopoiesis in respiratory infections.
- Therapeutic strategies targeting platelets and megakaryocytes for treatment of infectious diseases.
Platelets are multiform, complex and versatile blood components that play a plethora of unexpected and experimentally unexplored roles. On the edge between beneficial or harmful activities, platelets are capable of harboring infectious viral and non-viral pathogens, therefore, acting as Trojan horses for pathogen dissemination. They can directly participate and actively interfere with immune responses to these pathogens allowing antigen presentation or serving as a safe shelter for these pathogens against immune surveillance. Platelets are thus an invaluable physiological cellular model for fundamental research on host-pathogen interaction such as antigen presentation, pathogen endocytosis, exocytosis of virulence factors or inflammatory mediators as well as cell-to-cell microorganism transfers. Even less explored is their mother cell, the megakaryocyte, an exceptional and mysterious cell, polyploid and gigantic in size. Its ability to migrate to the lungs and produce platelets locally is also the subject of recent and remarkable discoveries including their implication in infectious respiratory diseases like COVID-19.
This Research Topic is dedicated to platelets and megakaryocytes targeted, subverted, exploited, or functionally modulated by pathogens, directly or indirectly, in their battle for host cell organism establishment and multiplication. The role of platelets and their progenitors still bears unexplored mysteries and recent discoveries have challenged the traditional concept of platelets as a simple haemostatic cell. Moreover, platelets and megakaryocytes are largely unexplored therapeutic targets for infectious diseases. Thus, this Research Topic aims at deepening our understanding of the yet uncharted functions of platelets as well as opening new avenues of research for the treatment of infectious diseases.
We welcome the submissions of Original Research, Review, and Mini-Review articles approaching, but not limited to, the following subtopics:
- The role of platelets and megakaryocytes as host cells for pathogens at cellular and molecular levels.
- Platelets and megakaryocytes dysfunctions caused by direct interaction with pathogens.
- Platelet subset differences in infectious diseases and their functional consequences
- Role of platelets and megakaryocytes as antigen-presenting cells for intracellular pathogens.
- Pathogen-induced dysfunctional thrombo- and megakaryopoiesis.
- Role of lung megakaryocytes and resulting thrombopoiesis in respiratory infections.
- Therapeutic strategies targeting platelets and megakaryocytes for treatment of infectious diseases.
