Metabolomics and Proteomics Reveal the Variation of Substances in Apheresis Platelets during Storage and Their Effects on Cancer Cell Proliferation

Changes in inflammatory responses and autophagy during apheresis platelet preservation and their correlation with platelet transfusion refractoriness in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a common hematopoietic malignancy, and platelet transfusion plays a crucial role in its treatment. This study aimed to investigate the changes in inflammatory response and autophagy during the preservation of apheresis platelets (AP) and their correlation with platelet transfusion refractoriness (PTR) in ALL. ALL patients were included, and APs were categorized based on the preservation period (day 0, day 1, days 2-3, and days 4-5). The activation factors procaspase-activating compound 1 (PAC-1) and P-selectin (CD62P), AP aggregation function, inflammation levels (interleukin 1 beta [IL-1β], interleukin 6 [IL-6], tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α] and NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 [NLRP3]), and autophagy-related genes (p62) during AP preservation were assessed. Following co-culturing APs with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), specific activation markers were studied to observe APs influence on immune cells activation. The effectiveness of platelet transfusion was assessed, and risk factors for PTR were analyzed. As the storage duration of AP increased, the activation factors, coagulation factor activity, inflammation levels, and the activation of immune cells in AP increased, while fibrinogen levels and AP aggregation function decreased. The expression levels of autophagy-related genes (the autophagy marker light chain 3B gene [LC3B] and Beclin 1 gene) decreased with prolongation preservation. The effective rate of AP transfusion in ALL patients was 68.21%. AP preservation time, IL-6, p62, and Beclin 1 were identified as independent risk factors affecting PTR in ALL patients. In conclusion, during AP preservation, inflammation, autophagy, and activation of immune cells were observed to increase. AP preservation time, IL-6, p62, and Beclin 1 were independent risk factors for PTR.

Platelet membrane-derived microparticles may be biomarkers in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and can promote the invasion and metastasis of hepatoma carcinoma cells

BACKGROUND

Platelet membrane-derived microparticles (PMPs) released by apheresis platelets (APs) during storage are involved in immunomodulatory and tumor processes. However, few studies have emphasized the relationship between PMPs and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect PMPs in the plasma of HCC patients and healthy individuals. ELISA and flow cytometry were separately applied to analyze the variation in PMPs from APs prepared after 0, 3, 5, and 7 days of storage. Transwell was used to demonstrate the effects of PMPs on the invasion and migration of HCC cells. HCC-related indicators and invasion and migration-related markers were detected in vivo.

RESULTS

We found the amount of PMPs was significantly increased in HCC patients. There was also a significant difference in the amount of PMPs in APs with prolonged storage time. Further, the PMPs in D5 promoted the invasion and migration of HepG2 and Huh7 cells. Transcriptomics revealed striking differences in the expression of many tumor metastasis associated genes with PMPs treatment. PMPs promoted tumor growth and weight loss in HCC-bearing mice, and Western blot results showed that invasion and migration-related indicators also increase.

CONCLUSION

The content of PMPs in the plasma of HCC patients increases, and it can also promote the invasion and migration of HCC.

A pilot study of the metabolic profiles of apheresis platelets modified by donor age and sex and in vitro short-term incubation with sex hormones

BACKGROUND

Platelets are part of innate immunity and comprise the cellular portion of hemostasis. Platelets express sex hormone receptors on their plasma membrane and sex hormones can alter their function in vitro. Little is known about how age and sex may affect platelet biology; thus, we hypothesized that platelets from males and females have different metabolomic profiles, which may be altered by age and in vitro treatment with sex hormones.

METHODS

Day 1 apheresis platelets were drawn from five 18-53-year-old, premenopausal younger females (YF), five ≥54-year-old, postmenopausal, older females (OF), five 18-44-year-old younger males (YM), and four ≥45-year-old older males (OM). Platelets were normalized to a standard concentration and metabolomics analyses were completed. Unsupervised statistical analyses and hierarchical clustering with principal component analyses were completed.

RESULTS

Platelets from OM had (1) elevated mono-, di- and tri-carboxylates, (2) increased levels of free fatty acids, acyl-carnitines, and free amino acids, and (3) increased purine breakdown and deamination products. In vitro incubation with sex hormones only affected platelets from OM donors with trends towards increased ATP and other high-energy purines and decreases in L-proline and other amino acids.

CONCLUSION

Platelets from OM's versus YF, OF, and YM have a different metabolome implying increased energy metabolism, more free fatty acids, acylcarnitines, and amino acids, and increased breakdown of purines and deamination products. However, only platelets from OM were affected by sex hormones in vitro. Platelets from OM are metabolically distinct, which may impart functional differences when transfused.