Platelets are anuclear cells that are essential for blood clotting. They are produced by large polyploid precursor cells called megakaryocytes. Previous genome-wide association studies in nearly 70,000 individuals indicated that single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in the gene encoding the actin cytoskeletal regulator tropomyosin 4 (TPM4) exert an effect on the count and volume of platelets. Platelet number and volume are independent risk factors for heart attack and stroke. Here, we have identified 2 unrelated families in the BRIDGE Bleeding and Platelet Disorders (BPD) collection who carry a
Irina Pleines, Joanne Woods, Stephane Chappaz, Verity Kew, Nicola Foad, José Ballester-Beltrán, Katja Aurbach, Chiara Lincetto, Rachael M. Lane, Galina Schevzov, Warren S. Alexander, Douglas J. Hilton, William J. Astle, Kate Downes, Paquita Nurden, Sarah K. Westbury, Andrew D. Mumford, Samya G. Obaji, Peter W. Collins, NIHR BioResource, Fabien Delerue, Lars M. Ittner, Nicole S. Bryce, Mira Holliday, Christine A. Lucas, Edna C. Hardeman, Willem H. Ouwehand, Peter W. Gunning, Ernest Turro, Marloes R. Tijssen, Benjamin T. Kile