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Heparin-induced Thrombocytopenia And Thrombosis: Better Understanding Of Pathogenesis And Improving Diagnosis And Treatment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$653,137.00
Summary
Heparin, a widely used drug, can cause an adverse effect which results in a fall of the platelet count and the development of serious thrombosis. This drug complication is mediated by an immune mechanism. This proposal aims to provide a better understanding of the disease mechanism. It also aims to develop a new test that will improve the diagnosis, and to produce a novel drug that will effectively suppress the immune reaction and improve the treatment.
Drug-induced Immune Thrombocytopenia: Understanding The Disease Mechanisms Is The Key To Better Treatment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$509,550.00
Summary
Many very commonly used medications cause an allergic reaction in a small number of patients that receive them. The allergic reaction results in platelets being destroyed and puts the patients at risk of bleeding. The patient recovers slowly if the drug is stopped but there is no other treatment and no way to reverse the effect quickly if the patient starts to bleed. This project will try to understand the mechanism of the condition and test a potential treatment.
Formation of clots to prevent blood loss is initiated by the platelet receptors, glycoprotein (GP)Ib-IX-V and GPVI. Unfortunately, there is a gap in our knowledge regarding the events immediately following activation of these receptors and the known downstream signalling. We have identified a novel binding partner for these platelet receptors, which we believe links reactive oxygen species to platelet signalling events. This opens new avenues for therapies to prevent aberrant clotting.
Tetraspanins Serve As Molecular Facilitators To Regulate Platelet Thrombus Formation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$589,544.00
Summary
Platelets are small fragments of megakaryocytes that circulate in the blood stream. They play an important role in preventing excessive blood loss at sites of tissue injury by sticking together and forming a haemostatic plug. Excessive platelet clumping in diseased blood vessels can lead to blockages and cause thrombotic diseases such as heart attack and stroke. We have discovered that tetraspanins serve to regulate platelet glycoproteins including integrin alphaIIbbeta, P2Y12 and thrombosis.