Distinct population of 'troublemaker' platelet cells appear with aging, lead to blood clotting, disease

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Stem Cells News

Blood Clots,Immune System,Lymphoma

Researchers have discovered a distinct, secondary population of platelets that appears with aging and have hyperreactive behavior and unique molecular properties, which could make them easier to target with medication.

Distinct population of 'troublemaker' platelet cells appear with aging, lead to blood clotting, disease

"The question for decades and decades has been: why are aging people at such high risk for excessive blood clotting, stroke, and cardiovascular disease?" Forsberg said."We have this discovery of a whole new pathway that progressively appears with aging -- troublemakers! That was never part of the discussion.". First author Donna Poscablo, Forsberg's former Ph.D.

"People think of as one lineage that shares regulation and intermediate stages until the very end," Forsberg said."To see that were completely separated all the way from the stem cell level, only in aged mice, was really surprising." They found that the hyperreactive secondary platelets start to be produced around midlife for the mice, with their population growing progressively with aging. As of now, the researchers have not found a trigger that begins the production of this secondary pathway.

Targeting these cells may not require the creation of new medications, but more simply inform the prescription of existing blood thinners such as Aspirin, which treat different patients to varying degrees even if they present with similar clotting-related symptoms. Using their mouse models, the researchers will identify which of the two populations of stem cells are more sensitive to Aspirin and the myriad of other platelet drugs on the market.

A three-drug medication known as a 'polypill' is effective in preventing secondary adverse cardiovascular events in people who have previously had a heart attack, reducing cardiovascular mortality by ...

 

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Study discovers distinct population of 'troublemaker' platelet cells appear with agingAs people age, they become more prone to blood clotting diseases, when blood cells called platelets clump together when they don't need to and can cause major issues such as strokes and cardiovascular disease.
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