Or. Etingin et al., VONWILLEBRAND-FACTOR MEDIATES PLATELET-ADHESION TO VIRALLY INFECTED ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United Statesof America, 90(11), 1993, pp. 5153-5156
von Willebrand factor is an adhesive glycoprotein critical to normal h
emostasis. It is stored in the Weibel-Palade body of endothelial cells
and upon release may mediate platelet adhesion. Herpesvirus-infected
endothelium is known to be prothrombotic and to support enhanced plate
let adherence. We previously identified P-selectin as a monocyte recep
tor that is translocated from the Weibel-Palade body to the endothelia
l cell surface in response to the local generation of thrombin on herp
esvirus infected cells. In this study, we show that viral injury to va
scular endothelial cells induces secretion of von Willebrand factor wh
ich mediates enhanced platelet adhesion to these cells.