Platelet factor 4 increases bone marrow B cell development and differentiation
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Updated: Feb 22, 2026

Megakaryocyte Differentiation and Platelet Formation from Human Cord Blood-derived CD34+ Cells
Published on: December 27, 2017
David J Field1, Angela A Aggrey-Amable1, Sara K Blick2
1Aab Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Box CVRI, 601 Elmwood Ave, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA.
Abstract:
Platelet factor 4 (PF4) is a megakaryocyte-/platelet-derived chemokine with diverse functions as a regulator of vascular and immune biology. PF4 has a central role in vessel injury responses, innate immune cell responses, and T-helper cell differentiation. We have now discovered that PF4 has a direct role in B cell differentiation in the bone marrow. Mice lacking PF4 (PF4-/- mice) had fewer developing B cells in the bone marrow beginning after the pre-pro-B cell stage of differentiation. In vitro, PF4 increased the differentiation of hematopoietic progenitors to B cell lineage cells, indicating that PF4 has a direct effect on B cell differentiation. STAT5 activation is essential in early B cell development and PF4 increased the phosphorylation of STAT5. Taken together, these data demonstrate that PF4 has an important role in increasing B cell differentiation in the bone marrow environment.
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