Responses of Plasma Catecholamine, Serotonin, and the Platelet Serotonin Transporter to Cigarette Smoking.

Cigarette smoking is one of the major causes of coronary heart disease with a thirty percent mortality rate in the United States. Cigarette smoking acting on the central nervous system (CNS) to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) through, which facilitates the secretion of serotonin (5-HT) and catecholamines to supraphysiological levels in blood. The enhanced levels of 5-HT and catecholamines in smokers' blood are associated with increases in G protein-coupled receptor signaling and serotonylation of small GTPases, which in turn lead to remodeling of cytoskeletal elements to enhance granule secretion and promote unique expression of sialylated -glycan structures on smokers' platelets.

Post-translational modifications of serotonin transporter.

The serotonin transporter (SERT) is an oligomeric glycoprotein with two sialic acid residues on each of two complex oligosaccharide molecules. Studies using in vivo and in vitro model systems demonstrated that diverse post-translational modifications, including phosphorylation, glycosylation, serotonylation, and disulfide bond formation, all favorably influences SERT conformation and allows the transporter to function most efficiently. This review discusses the post-translational modifications and their importance on the structure, maturation, and serotonin (5-HT) uptake ability of SERT.

Effects of ex vivo aging and storage temperature on blood viscosity.

Background: Research on hemorheology is driven in part by its significance in blood diseases and the possible use of hemorheology as a diagnostic tool. However, existing data on blood rheology are limited largely to measurements of steady shear behavior often with varying measurement protocols and insufficient characterization of the physiology.

Objective: The effects of ex vivo aging and environmental conditions on blood viscosity are investigated to improve standards for hemorheology measurements.

Cigarette Smoking-Associated Alterations in Serotonin/Adrenalin Signaling Pathways of Platelets.

Background: Cigarette smoking plays a major role in cardiovascular diseases. The acute effects of cigarette smoking produce central nervous system-mediated activation of the sympathetic nervous system. The overactive sympathetic nervous system stimulates the secretion of serotonin (5-HT) and catecholamine into blood at supraphysiological levels.

PMNs deliver first aid to clot.

In this issue of Blood, Darbousset et al define opposing roles for adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and adenosine in regulating polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) activation, fibrin formation, and thrombus growth following vascular injury.