# Lung Megakaryocytes Are A Novel Professional Antigen Presenting Cell

> **NIH NIH F31** · UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER · 2020 · $17,508

## Abstract

Project Summary
Megakaryocytes (Mks) have long been known to be platelet progenitors, but only recently has data illuminated
an immunogenic role for these cells. Aided by the expertise and unique tools of my lab, my work shows that
Mks in the lung act as professional antigen presenting cells (APCs), while the BM Mks act more like atypical
APCs that can be induced to have APC-like qualities. Our lab has developed unique genetic tools to study the
role of Mks in T cell responses including mice lacking MHC I or MHC II only in Mks and platelets. This has
aided in understanding that lung Mks can stimulate naïve CD4 T cells in an antigen-dependent manner. Lung
Mks express MHC II and immune molecules necessary for T cell activation, whereas BM Mks do not unless
provided immune stimuli. Furthermore, lung Mks can process and present whole proteins and intact, live
antigen with greater efficiency than macrophages and BM Mks. Both lung and BM Mks can respond to multiple
types of stimuli, including LPS, CpG, Poly I:C, and IFNg. Understanding the Mks APC qualities is immensely
important to understanding the pathogenesis of many vascular inflammatory diseases. The ability for the Mks
to process and present antigen may also mean that the processed antigen could be passed to the progeny
platelets, and these platelets could be rapidly distributed throughout the body to either activate immune cells or
deliver antigen to them. This novel concept could have enormous implications for numerous cardiovascular
diseases that may be therapeutically targeted. Using our lab's unique MK-specific MHC I-/- and MHC II-/-
mouse we will show how lung Mks regulate adaptive immunity, including Mk, mediated responses to a lung
pathogen, Influenza. I have established collaborations that will be leveraged to ensure that the questions
asked can be answered, as our collaborators have unique tools, that in combination with those in my lab will
help ensure the success of my project. Collectively, these data will give a complete understanding of Mks and
their role in the adaptive immune system.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9959196
- **Project number:** 5F31HL147458-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Daphne Nadine Pariser
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $17,508
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-06-01 → 2020-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9959196

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9959196, Lung Megakaryocytes Are A Novel Professional Antigen Presenting Cell (5F31HL147458-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9959196. Licensed CC0.

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