Cirrhosis is a consequence of prolonged liver injury and is characterised by extensive tissue fibrosis: the deposition of collagen-rich extracellular matrix. The haemostatic balance is disordered in cirrhosis and coagulation activation appears to promote fibrosis. In spite of recent studies demonstrating a role for anticoagulant therapy in preventing cirrhosis progression, there has not been a change in clinical practice, suggesting that physicians are reluctant to anticoagulate patients with cirrhosis due to bleeding risks. Platelets play an important role in facilitating coagulation. Glycoprotein VI (GPVI) is a platelet-specific collagen receptor that is shed from the platelet surface in a metalloproteinase-dependent manner in response to GPVI ligation and coagulation activation. Our aim was to use soluble GPVI levels to determine whether there was evidence for collagen and coagulation-induced platelet activation in early, well-compensated cirrhosis. Plasma soluble GPVI levels were quantified in 46 patients with mixed aetiology cirrhosis and 55 healthy controls using an immunoassay. In the cirrhosis group, soluble GPVI levels were significantly increased (5.8 ± 4.4 ng/ml, n = 46) compared to healthy controls (3.3 ± 3.4 ng/ml, n = 55, p < 0.05). This increase in soluble GPVI levels was still evident when levels were adjusted for platelet count (Healthy controls; 0.015 ± 0.018 ng/106 platelets/ml vs. cirrhosis; 0.048 ± 0.04 ng/106 platelets/ml, p < 0.0001). This study provides evidence for early platelet activation in patients with well-compensated cirrhosis. This may have translational implications for prognosis, treatment, and risk stratification.
Keywords: Cirrhosis; Collagen; Glycoprotein VI; Platelet activation; Shedding.