In the majority of patients with an inherited abnormality in platelet function and
a bleeding diathesis, the underlying platelet molecular mechanisms are unknown. The
usually considered entities, such as thrombasthenia, the Bernard-Soulier syndrome,
and storage pool deficiency, occur in a small proportion of patients. A substantial
number of patients present with decreased aggregation and secretion of dense granule
contents upon activation, and are lumped in the category of primary secretion defects
or platelet activation defects. Evidence is now available that defects in platelet
signaling mechanisms may be the basis for the platelet dysfunction in some of these
patients. This evidence is presented here. If the key components in signal transduction
are the surface receptors, the G-proteins, and the effectors, evidence now exists
for specific human platelet abnormalities at each of these levels. There is a pressing
need for a concerted effort to delineate the molecular mechanisms in the large group
of patients with impaired platelet function who represent an untapped reservoir of
new information into normal platelet function.
KEYWORDS
Platelet signal transduction - platelet function disorders - phospholipase C-β2
- primary secretion defects - signal transduction defects
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A. Koneti RaoM.D.
Division of Hematology and Thromboembolic Diseases, Temple University Health Sciences
Center, Room 300 OMS
3400 N. Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19140
Email: koneti@temple.edu