Reticulated Platelets Modulate Scarring After Myocardial Infarction (A07 (P07))

• Subject Area: Cardiology, Angiology ; Cell Biology
• Term: since 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 422681845

Our prior work suggests that ischaemic injury by experimental myocardial infarction in mice carrying high numbers of RP results in larger scars than in mice with lower numbers of RP. We aim to understand the signalling features and heterocellular interaction partners of platelet subtypes. To do this, we will induce experimental sustained myocardial infarction or ischaemia/reperfusion injury in mice with different levels of RP, use multimarker cytometry to immuno-phenotype platelet subtypes on d1, d3, d7, and d28 of lesion remodelling, and relate our findings to lesion outcomes. Novel molecular and AI-enhanced imaging tools will be developed for whole-body optical imaging using fluorescent dyes, positron emission/ computed tomography (PET/ CT) using radionuclides, and MRI using radiomics for myocardial texture analysis (together with C15) in mice in vivo and ex vivo. We expect that one of these imaging approaches (molecule or tissue texture-based) may lend itself to clinical translation for RP-associated lesion assessment, as underlying techniques and principles are already used in patient care.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1425: Heterocellular Nature of Cardiac Lesions: Identities, Interactions, Implications
• Applicant Institution: Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Daniel Dürschmied; Dr. Thomas Nührenberg, until 9/2021; Professorin Dr. Carmen Wängler