Polyphosphate: an ancient molecule that links platelets, coagulation, and inflammation.

Inorganic polyphosphate is widespread in biology and exhibits striking prohemostatic, prothrombotic, and proinflammatory effects in vivo. Long-chain polyphosphate (of the size present in infectious microorganisms) is a potent, natural pathophysiologic activator of the contact pathway of blood clotting. Medium-chain polyphosphate (of the size secreted from activated human platelets) accelerates factor V activation, completely abrogates the anticoagulant function of tissue factor pathway inhibitor, enhances fibrin clot structure, and greatly accelerates factor XI activation by thrombin. Polyphosphate may have utility as a hemostatic agent, whereas antagonists of polyphosphate may function as novel antithrombotic/anti-inflammatory agents. The detailed molecular mechanisms by which polyphosphate modulates blood clotting reactions remain to be elucidated.