Altered microRNA expression profles are involved in Storage Lesions of Apheresis Platelet

Abstract

Although platelet is anucleate cell, it contains a large amount miRNAs. This study aims to explore the relationship between miRNAs expression profles and platelets function, as well as miRNAs potential roles during platelet storage lesions. Platelets were collected from 15 healthy men with O blood types. MiRNAs profiles in platelets were detected by Agilent Human miRNA Array Differential miRNA levels were studied using human platelets after apheresis and stored for 2, 5 and 8 days using microarray. There were 167 and 230 altered miRNAs during the 5 and 8 day storage, respectively. In addition, the number of reduced miRNAs was much greater than that of increased. And many of them are involved in functions of platelet activation, degranulation, PDGF receptor signaling pathway and cell differentiation. The results of RT-PCR showed that the expression of miR-21-5p, miR-21-3p and miR-155 decreased on the 5th day, while miR-223, miR-3162 and let-7b increased. Flow cytometry results revealed that with increase of storage time, the expression of P2Y12 increased and phosphorylation level of VASP reduced. Meanwhile, the platelet reactivity index (PRI) decreased from 72.7% to 18.2%, while the apoptotic percentage of platelet significantly increased. For the first time, we found altered miRNAs are closely related to platelet aggregation, including P2Y12, VASP and GPb/a. Through KEGG database prediction, we verified there were many miRNAs impacting the pathway of platelet aggregation, such as miR-223, miR-21 and let-7b, which indicated miRNAs might serve as potential biomarkers of storage lesion in platelet. These target miRNAs are related to activation, degranulation and PDGF receptor signaling pathway of platelet.