The thalassemias and related disorders.

The thalassemias, sickle cell disease, and other hemoglobinopathies represent a major group of inherited disorders of hemoglobin synthesis. The abnormal hemoglobins were reviewed in the July 2006 issue of Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings. Because of immigration patterns and population flow, these disorders are becoming increasingly more prevalent in the USA.

Structure-function relations of human hemoglobins.

In 1949 Pauling and his associates showed that sickle cell hemoglobin (HbS) belonged to an abnormal molecular species. In 1958 Ingram, who used a two-dimensional system of electrophoresis and chromatography to break down the hemoglobin molecule into a mixture of smaller peptides, defined the molecular defect in HbS by showing that it differed from normal adult hemoglobin by only a single peptide. Since then, more than 200 variant and abnormal hemoglobins have been described.

Inactivation of viruses with photoactive compounds.

The transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) and other enveloped virus by blood transfusion is a major concern. Photosensitive dyes such as hematoporphyrin derivative (HPD), dihematoporphyrin ether (DHE), benzoporphyrin derivatives (BPD), extended ring porphyrins, sapphyrins and texaphyrins, and various cyanines were used with viral cultures to test the feasibility of using those light-excitable dyes to kill virus. A photodynamic flow cell was used to irradiate viral suspensions or viral infected cells in culture media or in whole blood.

Preliminary studies of photoinactivation of human immunodeficiency virus in blood.

The transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) by blood or blood components is a major concern in blood banking. A photodynamic flow cell system was designed to inactivate cell-free HIV mixed with blood from a healthy donor. Blood containing 4 x 10(3) infectious units of HIV was treated with 10 and 20 micrograms per mL of commercially available dihematoporphyrin ether (DHE) per mL.