Dear Sir, The co-stimulatory molecule CD154, expressed on activated platelets, may be
involved in inflammation and hemostasis [1±5]. Ligation of CD40 on endothelial cells by
platelet-expressed CD154 can induce the production of tissue factor [1], which contributes to
the coagulation cascade, as well as proinflammatory cytokines, which facilitate thrombus
formation [2, 3]. Soluble CD154 contains an integrin aIIbb3-specific binding motif [6] and it
was recently demonstrated that the instability of ferric chloride-induced arterial thrombi in …