Decoding the proteomic landscape of platelet extracellular vesicles: Implications for coagulation in burn patients.

BACKGROUND

To analyze the effects of platelet extracellular vesicles (PLT-EVs) on coagulation function in severe burns patients using in vitro coagulation assays, and to explore the proteins involved in coagulation reaction in PLT-EVs by proteomics technology, laying the foundation for the diagnosis and treatment of coagulation dysfunction in patients with severe burns.

METHODS

Six healthy volunteers and six patients with severe burns were selected. The coagulation function was compared by thromboelastography and conventional coagulation tests, and the differentially expressed proteins of PLT-EVs in the control group and the burns group were analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The differentially expressed proteins were analyzed by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG); the top 10 proteins related to coagulation were screened.

RESULTS

The in vitro coagulation results revealed that the severe burns patients were in a hypocoagulable state following shock, as evidenced by hyperfibrinolysis and decreased platelet function and quantity; PLT-EVs were found to promote coagulation in vitro. Quantitative analysis of the 853 proteins found in PLT-EVs indicated that 191 proteins were up-regulated and 77 proteins were down-regulated. The GO and KEGG analysis of the differentially expressed proteins showed their involvement in biological processes such as coagulation function, inflammatory response, immune response, and body repair and regulation.

CONCLUSIONS

PLT-EVs play a role in reducing coagulation dysfunction after severe burns by regulating the quantity of coagulation-related proteins.