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Meikle CK, Meisler AJ, Bird CM, Jeffries JA, Azeem N, Garg P, Crawford EL, Kelly CA, Gao TZ, Wuescher LM, Willey JC, Worth RG. Platelet-T cell aggregates in lung cancer patients: Implications for thrombosis. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0236966. [PMID: 32776968 PMCID: PMC7416940 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0236966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Platelet-leukocyte aggregates (PLAs) are associated with increased thrombosis risk. The influence of PLA formation is especially important for cancer patients, since thrombosis accounts for approximately 10% of cancer-associated deaths. Our objective was to characterize and quantify PLAs in whole blood samples from lung cancer patients compared to healthy volunteers with the intent to analyze PLA formation in the context of lung cancer-associated thrombosis. Consenting lung cancer patients (57) and healthy volunteers (56) were enrolled at the Dana Cancer Center at the University of Toledo Health Science Campus. Peripheral blood samples were analyzed by flow cytometry. Patient medical history was reviewed through electronic medical records. Most importantly, we found lung cancer patients to have higher percentages of platelet-T cell aggregates (PTCAs) than healthy volunteers among both CD4+ T lymphocyte and CD8+ T lymphocyte populations. Our findings demonstrate that characterization of PTCAs may have clinical utility in differentiating lung cancer patients from healthy volunteers and stratifying lung cancer patients by history of thrombosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire K. Meikle
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, United States of America
| | - Adam J. Meisler
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, United States of America
| | - Cara M. Bird
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, United States of America
| | - Joseph A. Jeffries
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, United States of America
| | - Nabila Azeem
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, United States of America
| | - Priyanka Garg
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, United States of America
| | - Erin L. Crawford
- Department of Medicine, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, United States of America
| | - Clare A. Kelly
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, United States of America
| | - Tess Z. Gao
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, United States of America
| | - Leah M. Wuescher
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, United States of America
| | - James C. Willey
- Department of Medicine, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, United States of America
| | - Randall G. Worth
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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