Fibrinopeptide A and the phosphate content of fibrinogen in venous thromboembolism and disseminated intravascular coagulation

Concentrations of plasma fibrinopeptide A (FPA) were measured by radioimmunoassay in 50 patients with venous thromboembolism or disseminated intravascular coagulation or both. A consistent discrepancy was observed in values obtained with two anti-FPA antisera. Analysis of extracts from plasma of these patients by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) revealed the presence of a phosphorylated and an unphosphorylated form of the A peptide. Differences in concentrations of FPA measured with the two antisera could be accounted for by their different reactivity with phosphorylated FPA (FPA-P). The differences were abolished by treatment with alkaline phosphatase. A good correlation was observed between the FPA-P content of free A- peptide material and of fibrinogen in plasma as determined by HPLC (r = .88, P less than .001, n = 11). In patients with elevated FPA levels, the mean FPA-P content of fibrinogen was significantly higher (P less than .002, n = 13) than in patients with normal FPA levels (n = 8) and in healthy controls (n = 14). Phosphorus in fibrinogen did not correlate with fibrinogen degradation products or fibrinogen levels and became normal on adequate anticoagulation. Therefore, blood-clotting activation may lead to a high phosphate content of fibrinogen and of free FPA in plasma.     

Structure and expression of genes of GM-CSF and G-CSF in blast cells from patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia

The hematopoietic growth factors granulocyte/macrophage colony- stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and G-CSF, available as recombinant products, stimulate the growth in culture of blasts from patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML). We used cDNA probes for each gene to study the genomic organization in blast cells of 22 patients and expression in the blast cells of 18 patients. Alteration in the structure of G-CSF (two instances) and GM-CSF (two instances) was found. In two patients in whom it was possible to study DNA from bone marrow obtained at remission, the new bands detected in the leukemic cells were not found. Fifteen of 18 patients showed no RNA expression of either growth factor. Both patients with GM-CSF abnormalities as seen by Southern analysis expressed an abnormally large GM-CSF message but no G-CSF messages. One patient with an abnormal Southern pattern with G-CSF expressed normal-sized G-CSF and GM-CSF messages. The biologic significance of these findings remains to be determined. Nonetheless, the abnormal Southern patterns may prove to be useful clonal markers in the study of AML.     

Platelet storage: changes in cytosolic Ca2+ actin polymerization and shape

Platelets gradually lose their disc shape during storage. The authors studied simultaneous changes in platelet cytosolic Ca2+ (Cai) and the polymerization state of actin as related to the shape. Platelet concentrates were stored under blood bank conditions for up to 10 days. Aliquots were removed and analyzed as follows: platelet Cai and increments in Cai induced by adenosine diphosphate (ADP) were determined by fluorescence of fura-2-loaded cells; loss of disc shape was determined by differences in light scattering intensity induced by stirring; and the ratio of globular and total actin (G/T) of platelets in plasma was determined by a modification of the DNase inhibition assay. Globular actin was found to be 86 +/- 3% of total actin in freshly drawn platelets suspended in plasma. The following changes occurred during storage: G/T in platelet concentrates increased from 63 +/- 5 (day 0) to 74 +/- 2% in the first 24 hours then fell to 33 +/- 6% by day 10. The percent discoid platelets also increased from day 0 to day 1 then fell in the ensuing days. There was an initial drop in Cai from day 0 to day 1, after which Cai increased on days 3 and 6. Globular actin polymerization during storage closely correlated with the change in percent discs (r = 0.95). During 6 days of storage Cai was highly correlated with shape change (r = 0.97) and to a lesser extent (r = 0.87) with the ratio of globular actin. The authors conclude that actin polymerization, shape, and Ca2+ change in a related fashion during storage.     

Calcium transport and ultrastructure of red cells in beta-thalassemia intermedia

Reported findings of elevated total calcium (Ca) contents in erythrocytes (RBCs) from patients with beta-thalassemia intermedia (beta-TI) prompted the question of whether the state and transport of Ca in these RBCs are similar to those in sickle cell anemia (SS) RBCs where the increased Ca is compartmentalized in endocytic inside-out vesicles and extracted by exposure of the cells to the Ca ionophore A23187 and a Ca chelator (ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid) and the levels of cytoplasmic free ionized Ca [( Ca2+]i) are normal. We confirmed a high total Ca content of 51 +/- 13 mumol/L RBCs in splenectomized (SPX) beta-TI and 24 +/- 1 mumol/L RBCs in non-SPX beta- TI. Unlike SS RBCs, however, most of the increased Ca was in the lighter, presumably younger beta-TI RBCs, and about half the Ca was not ionophore mobilizable but apparently firmly bound, possibly to remnants of organelles in nucleated and other young RBCs. In the denser RBCs from non-SPX beta-TI, total and extractable Ca amounts were normal. beta-TI RBCs loaded with the Ca chelator Benz 2 showed an initial influx of 45Ca in the normal range, which indicated normal Ca permeability, and near-steady-state levels of [Ca2+]i that were normal (22 +/- 7 nmol/L RBCs in non-SPX beta-TI) or minimally increased (40 +/- 19 nmol/L RBCs in SPX beta-TI). Serial-section electron microscopy of beta-TI ghosts from the denser cell fractions showed more fully enclosed vesicles in non-SPX ghosts than were seen in normal ghosts and many large vesicles and structured, electron-dense material in SPX ghosts. A delayed extrusion of ionophore-preloaded 45Ca only by the SPX beta-TI RBCs together with normal [Ca2+]i suggested compartmentalization of the loaded Ca in these RBCs, perhaps in endocytic inside-out vesicles, and normal Ca pumps. Since beta-TI RBCs show essentially normal levels of [Ca2+]i and normal Ca influx, their high total Ca content should not be associated with any of the deleterious effects observed in vitro with increased levels of [Ca2+]i.     

Solitary bronchioloalveolar carcinoma: CT criteria

The computed tomographic (CT) scans of 30 patients with solitary bronchioloalveolar carcinoma were reviewed. Common features at CT included the peripheral or subpleural location of a pulmonary mass (25 cases), pseudocavitation (18 cases), heterogeneous attenuation (17 cases), irregular margins forming a star pattern (22 cases), and pleural tags (21 cases). Using these CT criteria, four independent observers attempted to identify cases of bronchioloalveolar carcinoma from a larger sample of lung cancers and benign lesions by categorizing a series of test cases into four probability categories. Although the bronchioloalveolar carcinomas were correctly ranked in the two highest probability categories 75% of the time (in 45 of 60 cases), there was considerable overlap with other lung lesions, particularly with adenocarcinoma and large cell undifferentiated carcinoma. However, even though the typical features of bronchioloalveolar carcinoma are not invariable or highly specific, they are characteristic enough to suggest the diagnosis.     

Clinical correlates of low-risk variants in FGFR2, TNRC9, MAP3K1, LSP1 and 8q24 in a Dutch cohort of incident breast cancer cases

Introduction

Seven SNPs in five genomic loci were recently found to confer a mildly increased risk of breast cancer.

Methods

We have investigated the correlations between disease characteristics and the patient genotypes of these SNPs in an unselected prospective cohort of 1,267 consecutive patients with primary breast cancer.

Results

Heterozygote carriers and minor allele homozygote carriers for SNP rs889312 in the MAP3K1 gene were less likely to be lymph node positive at breast cancer diagnosis (P = 0.044) relative to major allele homozygote carriers. Heterozygote carriers and minor allele homozygote carriers for SNP rs3803662 near the TNCR9 gene were more likely to be diagnosed before the age of 60 years (P = 0.025) relative to major allele homozygote carriers. We also noted a correlation between the number of minor alleles of rs2981582 in FGFR2 and the average number of first-degree and second-degree relatives with breast cancer and/or ovarian cancer (P = 0.05). All other disease characteristics, including tumour size and grade, and oestrogen or progesterone receptor status, were not significantly associated with any of these variants.

Conclusion

Some recently discovered genomic variants associated with a mildly increased risk of breast cancer are also associated with breast cancer characteristics or family history of breast cancer and ovarian cancer. These findings provide interesting new clues for further research on these low-risk susceptibility alleles.     

Effect of plant neutrophil elastase inhibitor on leucocyte migration, adhesion and cytokine release in inflammatory conditions

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The serine and cysteine peptidase inhibitor, BbCI, isolated from Bauhinia bauhinioides seeds, is similar to the classical plant Kunitz inhibitor, STI, but lacks disulphide bridges and methionine residues. BbCI blocks activity of the serine peptidases, elastase (K_iapp 5.3 nM) and cathepsin G (K_iapp 160.0 nM), and the cysteine peptidase cathepsin L (K_iapp 0.2 nM). These three peptidases play important roles in the inflammatory process.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

We measured the effects of BbCI on paw oedema and on leucocyte accumulation in pleurisy, both induced by carrageenan. Leucocyte–endothelial cell interactions in scrotal microvasculature in Wistar rats were investigated using intravital microscopy. Cytokine levels in pleural exudate and serum were measured by elisa.

KEY RESULTS

Pretreatment of the animals with BbCI (2.5 mg·kg⁻¹), 30 min before carrageenan-induced inflammation, effectively reduced paw oedema and bradykinin release, neutrophil migration into the pleural cavity. The number of rolling, adhered and migrated leucocytes at the spermatic fascia microcirculation following carrageenan injection into the scrotum were reduced by BbCI pretreatment. Furthermore, levels of the rat chemokine cytokine-induced neutrophil chemo-attractant-1 were significantly reduced in both pleural exudates and serum from animals pretreated with BbCI. Levels of interleukin-1β or tumour necrosis factor-α, however, did not change.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Taken together, our data suggest that the anti-inflammatory properties of BbCI may be useful in investigations of other pathological processes in which human neutrophil elastase, cathepsin G and cathepsin L play important roles.