Platelet aerobic metabolism: new perspectives

Abstract

Although the role of platelets in hemostasis and thrombotic disorders as well as their contribution to inflammation are known, recent studies support the notion that much remains to be learned about platelet bioenergetics. Recent data suggest that platelets possess extra-mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), which could represent one of sources of the chemical energy necessary for the prompt platelets activation. However, the extra-mitochondrial OXPHOS can play both beneficial and pathological roles, since the OXPHOS is the principal responsible of oxidative stress generation. For this reason, several authors evaluated the effects of polyphenols and other antioxidants on the modulation of the platelets oxidative stress production. In conclusion, we believe that a better understanding of platelet oxidative metabolism would allow a deeper knowledge of their physiology and the designing novel treatments targeting the role of platelets in many human diseases.

Platelet polyphosphate and energy metabolism in professional male athletes (soccer players): A cross‐sectional pilot study

“…Platelets are anuclear cell fragments arising from bone marrow megakaryocytes and play a pivotal role in both physiological hemostasis and thrombosis (Garcia‐Souza & Oliveira, 2014 ; Ravera & Panfoli, 2019 ). As in other nuclear cells, platelets contain functional mitochondria to generate energy and drive cellular actions.…”

“…To date, this concept has been considered a fundamental theory. However, a recent study released by Panfoli's group has highlighted conflicting theories against the classic one (Ravera et al, 2018 ): platelets could possess an extramitochondrial energy production system to respond to various agonist stimuli, necessitating a considerable amount of energy (Ravera & Panfoli, 2019 ). This was also supported by a more recent study focused on ultramarathon running.…”

Platelets in Fetal Growth Restriction: Role of Reactive Oxygen Species, Oxygen Metabolism, and Aggregation

“…Mitochondrial function is closely related to biological oxidation processes. Therefore, these cellular organelles play an essential role in generating intracellular ROS, being responsible for 90% of their endogenous production [ 36 , 37 ]. A cell’s oxygen consumption measurement is probably the most informative parameter for assessing its metabolism, because it allows a direct and specific evaluation of the functioning of the electron transport chain underlying oxidative phosphorylation and cellular metabolism [ 38 , 39 , 40 ].…”