ACD-whole blood collected from the retro-orbital plexus was incubated with an excess of ice-cold lysis buffer plus 1 μM prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) to prevent PLT activation and in vitro formation of PLAs as described.29 (link) The blood cells were lysed briefly (1 min), spun at 4°C and stained with a cocktail of antibodies at 1:100 dilution: CD45-Pacific blue (eBioscience), CD115-APC (eBioscience), Gr-1-PerCP cy5.5 (Ly6-C/G; BD Biosciences), CD11b-PE Cy7 (eBioscience) and CD41-FITC (eBioscience). Platelet Ly-6Chi monocyte aggregates, platelet Ly-6Clo monocyte aggregates and platelet neutrophil aggregates were defined as CD45+Gr-1hiCD115+CD41+, CD45+Gr-1loCD115+CD41+ and CD45+Gr-1+CD115CD41+.