Yes / Platelet microparticle (PMP)-induced angiogenesis plays a key role in tumour metastasis and has been proposed to contribute towards cardiovascular disease by enhancing atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability. However, the mechanisms underlying PMP induced angiogenesis are ill defined. Recent reports demonstrate that PMPs deliver micro-RNAs (miRNAs) to recipient cells, controlling gene expression. We therefore evaluated whether miRNA transfer was a key regulator of PMP-induced angiogenesis. Co-culturing PMPs with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) on extracellular matrix gel induced robust capillary like structure formation. PMP treatment altered the release of angiogenesis modulators from HUVEC, including significantly reducing production of anti-angiogenic thrombospondin-1 (THBS-1). Both functional responses were abrogated by treating PMPs with RNase, suggesting the transfer of PMP-derived RNA was a critical event. PMPs were an abundant source of miRNA Let-7a, which was transferred to HUVEC following co-incubation. Using luciferase reporter assays we have shown that Let-7a directly targets the 3’UTR of the THBS-1 mRNA. HUVEC transfection with a Let-7a anti-sense oligonucleotide reduced the ability of PMPs to inhibit THBS-1 release, and significantly decreased PMP induced in vitro angiogenesis. Antibody neutralisation of THBS-1 reversed the anti-angiogenic effect of let-7a inhibition in PMP treated HUVEC, highlighting Let-7a dependent translational repression of THBS-1 drives angiogenesis. Importantly, plasmid overexpression of Let-7a in HUVEC alone induced robust tubule formation on extracellular matrix gel. These data reveal a new role for Let-7a in promoting angiogenesis and show for the first time PMPs induced angiogenic responses occur through miRNA regulation of HUVEC.

Several studies have shown that complement and thrombotic events co-exist. Platelets have been suspected to act as the bridge between the two cascade systems. To study the platelet-induced complement activation we developed a system in which platelets were activated by thrombin receptor activating peptide (TRAP) in platelet rich plasma (PRP) or whole blood anti-coagulated using the specific thrombin inhibitor, lepirudin. TRAP-activated platelets induced a fluid-phase complement activation measured as generation of C3a and sC5b-9, triggered by released chondroitin sulphate-A (CS-A) which interacted with C1q and activated the complement system through the classical pathway. Complement components C1q, C3, C4 and C9 were also shown to bind to TRAP-activated platelets but this binding did not seem to be due to a complement activation since blocking of complement activation at the C1q or C3 levels did not affect the binding of the complement proteins. The C3 which bound to activated platelets consisted of C3(H2O), indicating that bound C3 was not proteolytically activated. Binding of C1q was partially dependent on CS-A exposure on activated platelets. The abolished complement activation on the surface of activated platelets was suggested to be dependent on the involvement of several complement inhibitors. We confirmed the binding of C1INH and factor H to activated platelets. To this list we have added another potent complement inhibitor, C4BP. The binding of factor H and C4BP was shown to be dependent on exposure of CS-A on activated platelets. The physiological relevance of these reactions was reflected in an elevated expression of CD11b on leukocytes, and increased generation of platelet-leukocyte complexes. The platelets were involved in these events by at least two different mechanisms; generation of C5a which activated leukocytes and binding of C3(H2O)/iC3(H2O), a ligand to the intergrin CD11b/CD18 on their surface. These mechanisms add further to the understanding of how platelets interact with the complement system and will help us to understand the role of the complement system in cardiovascular disease and thrombotic conditions. / Platelet Mediated Complement Activation