Platelet granule secretion mechanisms: Are they modified in sepsis?

•Assembly of SNARE complex is critical for mediating membranes fusion.•Assembly of SNARE complex is critical for controlling secretion of α granule.•SNARE complexes may regulate platelet granule secretion in sepsis.•A new therapeutic potential for SNARE complexes in sepsis is expected.

Sepsis is a progressive systemic inflammatory response syndrome associated with multi-organ dysfunction caused by overwhelming infection. In sepsis, platelet factor 4, β-thromboglobulin, and other inflammatory mediators are secreted from platelet granules to participate in the inflammatory response and increase sepsis-related impairments. Recently, an increasing number of studies showed a critical role of soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) complexes in the platelet granule secretion. However, whether SNARE complex-regulated platelet granule secretion is involved in the pathophysiology of sepsis is unclear. Thus, in this review, we discussed the recent advances of SNARE complexes and their regulators in platelets as well as the mechanism of SNARE complexes on mediating platelet granule secretion.