PPBP and asthma: Following bronchial provocation of patients with asthma, there is an increased release of platelet-specific chemokines, for example, PF4 and beta-thromboglobulin (β-TG, CXCL7) (21), and mediators derived from platelets, for example, 5-hydroxytriptamine (5-HT) (22), free radical species (23), and RANTES (9).