Role of tumor necrosis factor-α in the extraintestinal thrombosis associated with colonic inflammation.

Background: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are associated with a hypercoagulable state and an increased risk of thromboembolism, with accelerated thrombus formation occurring both within the inflamed bowel and in distant tissues. While the IBD-associated prothrombogenic state has been linked to the inflammatory response, the mediators that link inflammation and thrombosis remain poorly defined. The objective of this study was to assess the role of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in the enhanced extraintestinal microvascular thrombosis that accompanies colonic inflammation.

Selectin-mediated recruitment of bone marrow stromal cells in the postischemic cerebral microvasculature.

Background And Purpose: The therapeutic potential of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) has been demonstrated in different models of stroke. Although it is well established that BMSCs selectively migrate to the site of brain injury, the mechanisms underlying this process are poorly understood. This study addresses the hypothesis that selectins mediate the recruitment of BMSCs into the postischemic cerebral microvasculature.

Induction of neuro-protective/regenerative genes in stem cells infiltrating post-ischemic brain tissue.

Background: Although the therapeutic potential of bone marrow-derived stromal stem cells (BMSC) has been demonstrated in different experimental models of ischemic stroke, it remains unclear how stem cells (SC) induce neuroprotection following stroke. In this study, we describe a novel method for isolating BMSC that infiltrate postischemic brain tissue and use this method to identify the genes that are persistently activated or depressed in BMSC that infiltrate brain tissue following ischemic stroke.

Methods: Ischemic strokes were induced in C57BL/6 mice by middle cerebral artery occlusion for 1 h, followed by reperfusion.

Role of coagulation factors in cerebral venous sinus and cerebral microvascular thrombosis.

Objective: The objective of this study was to define the relative contributions of three major pro- and anti-coagulation pathways (heparin-antithrombin, protein C, and tissue factor (TF)) in the thrombogenic responses that occur in large and small vessels of the brain.

Methods: Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis was induced by topical application of FeCl3 on the superior sagittal sinus, while photoactivation of fluorescein was used to induce thrombus formation in cerebral microvessels. Heparin, activated protein C (APC), and antibodies to either APC or TF were used to assess thrombogenesis in wild-type mice.

Role of the protein C pathway in the extraintestinal thrombosis associated with murine colitis.

Background & Aims: Chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are associated with an increased risk for thromboembolism. Although thrombosis is known to contribute to the morbidity and mortality of patients with IBD, the underlying mechanisms that contribute to the genesis of a hypercoagulable state during intestinal inflammation remain poorly defined. The objective of this study was to determine whether the protein C pathway contributes to the enhanced extraintestinal thrombosis that is associated with dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis in mice.