Potential Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarkers of Epigenetic Drift within the Cardiovascular Compartment

Figure 3

Platelet MVs act as intercellular transporters of functional Ago2-miRNA complexes. Activated platelets release microvesicles packaged with functional Argonaute 2- (Ago2-) miRNA complexes which can be assimilated by human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs). Platelet-derived miRNA accumulates within the cell, regulating expression of endothelial genes at the mRNA and protein level, resulting in altered phenotype and function.