Platelet-associated angiogenesis regulating factors: a pharmacological perspective

• Author(s) / Creator(s)

  • Radziwon-Balicka, A.
  • Jurasz, P.
  • Moncada de la Rosa, C.

• Platelets, in addition to maintaining hemostasis, also stimulate angiogenesis by generating and releasing, upon activation, factors that promote the growth of new blood vessels. To date, at least 20 angiogenesis-regulating factors have been identified in platelets, including both promoters and inhibitors. Platelet-derived angiogenesis regulators promote angiogenesis during wound healing, tumor growth, and in response to ischemia. Within platelets, angiogenesis regulators are primarily stored in alpha-granules, but are also found in the cytosol or derived from membrane lipids. Their release can be inhibited pharmacologically by anti-platelet agents, which consequently suppress platelet-stimulated angiogenesis. Several years ago, our research group discovered that platelets generate the angiogenesis inhibitor angiostatin independent of the activation state of platelets, and that platelet-derived angiostatin serves to limit the angiogenesis-stimulating effects of platelets. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of platelet-associated angiogenesis regulators, how they impact angiogenesis, and how they are controlled pharmacologically.

• Date created

  2012

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Angiogenesis
  • Endothlial cells
  • Hemostasis
  • Angiogenesis regulators
  • Vascular endothelial growth factor
  • Thrombosis
  • Angiostatin
  • Platelets
  • Alpha-granules

• Type of Item

  Review

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3JD4PS21

• License

  © 2012 NRC Research Press. This version of this article is open access and can be downloaded and shared. The original author(s) and source must be cited.