In vitro and in vivo effects of prestorage filtration of apheresis platelets

BACKGROUND: The effect of prestorage filtration on the quality of apheresis platelet concentrates stored for transfusion is undetermined. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Investigation of 11 plateletpheresis components used a concurrent paired-study design. On the day of collection, each component was equally divided into two suspensions; one half was filtered, and the other half was not. Each suspension was stored for 5 days. In vitro testing was performed on the day of collection (Day 0) for cell counts and on Day 5 for measurements of lactate, glucose, blood gases, pH, platelet ATP, hypotonic stress ratio, extent of shape change in response to ADP, tissue necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 8, interleukin 1 alpha, interleukin 1 beta, interleukin 6, and platelet surface glycoproteins by flow cytometry. At the end of the 5-day period, a sample was taken from each of the two suspensions, radiolabeled with either 51Cr or 111In, and transfused concurrently. Posttransfusion samples were drawn for measurements of recovery and platelet survival and for functional assessment of the ex vivo ability of the circulating radiolabeled platelets to aggregate in response to ADP. RESULTS: The apheresis component had a mean platelet yield of 3.2 +/? 0.4 × 10(11) and a white cell yield ranging from 1 × 10(5) to 1 × 10(8), with a median of 2 × 10(7). Filtration resulted in a platelet loss of approximately 10 percent and a variable 2 to 3 log10 reduction in white cell content. No significant differences between filtered and unfiltered suspensions in paired t tests that would likely have an impact on platelet quality were observed in the in vitro tests. The in vivo recovery and survival were highly similar and not statistically different in filtered and unfiltered paired suspensions: the mean difference was 1.2 +/? 4.0 percent for recovery and 7.0 +/? 15 hours for survival. The functional assessment by aggregation to ADP showed no difference between filtered and unfiltered suspensions. A small decrease in tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 8 was evident in the filtered suspension as compared to levels in the unfiltered suspensions. CONCLUSION: Prestorage white cell reduction in apheresis components resulted in WBC reduction by several log10 with no evident adverse effect on platelet viability or function.     

Thrombospondin mediates the cytoadherence of Plasmodium falciparum- infected red cells to vascular endothelium in shear flow conditions

Cerebral malaria is thought to involve specific attachment of Plasmodium falciparum-infected knobby red cells to venular endothelium. The nature of surface ligands on host endothelial cells that may mediate cytoadherence is poorly understood. We have investigated the effects of soluble thrombospondin, rabbit antiserum raised against thrombospondin, and human immune serum on cytoadherence of parasitized erythrocytes in ex vivo mesocecum vasculature. Preincubation of infected red cells with soluble thrombospondin or human immune serum inhibits binding of infected red cells to rat venular endothelium. Infusion of the microcirculatory preparation with rabbit antithrombospondin antibodies before perfusion of parasitized erythrocytes also resulted in decreased cytoadherence. In addition, incubation of infected cells with human immune sera obtained from malaria patients significantly inhibited the observed cytoadherence. Our results indicate that thrombospondin mediates binding of infected red cells to venular endothelium and may thus be involved in the pathogenesis of cerebral malaria.     

Prognostic significance of thrombocytosis in idiopathic sideroblastic anemia

In order to determine the prognostic significance of thrombocytosis in idiopathic sideroblastic anemia, the clinical courses of 17 patients were reviewed. Six patients (36%) had thrombocytosis, and none developed acute leukemia. Nine patients (53%) had normal platelet counts, and one developed acute leukemia. Two patients (12%) were thrombocytopenic, and one died of acute leukemia. There was little correlation between survival and platelet count. Sixty-three additional case reports of idiopathic sideroblastic anemia were collected from the literature. Analysis of those patients and the patients in the present study documented transformation to acute leukemia in 5 of 9 (56%) thrombocytopenic patients, 4 of 54 (7.4%) patients with normal platelet counts, and 0 of 17 patients with thrombocytosis (p less than 0.05). Therefore patients with idiopathic sideroblastic anemia and thrombocytosis appear to have a decreased likelihood of leukemic transformation.     

妥卡尼对豚鼠心室肌细胞钙电流和钾电流的抑制作用

利用酶分散的成年豚鼠心室肌细胞和全细胞电压钳技术,研究了妥卡尼(tocainide)对心室肌细胞钙电流(I_ca)、延迟整流钾电流(I_k)和ATP敏感性钾电流(Ik,ATP)的作用。结果表明,妥卡尼对I_ca和I_k均显示浓度相关的抑制作用,妥卡尼50umol·L^-1对I_ca和I_k的抑制率分别为16%和3%。这可能是妥卡尼有效抑制室上性心动过速和缩短心肌动作电位平台期的重要机制。