Reduced erythroid cell and erythropoietin production in response to acute anemia in prion protein-deficient (Prnp-/-) mice.

Cellular prion protein (PrPc) participates in the pathogenesis of prion diseases but its normal function remains unclear. PrPc is expressed on hematopoietic cells, including erythroid precursors. We investigated the role of PrPc in erythropoiesis in vivo with phenylhydrazine-induced acute anemia.

Elevated circulating endothelial membrane microparticles in paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria.

We analysed endothelial cell membrane microparticles (ECMP) in the peripheral blood of patients with paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) (n = 9), aplastic anaemia (AA) (n = 10), sickle cell disease (SCD) (n = 8), and healthy donors (HD) (n = 11). There was no clinically manifested thrombosis in the PNH or AA group, except one cured thrombophlebitis (PNH), while all SCD patients had a history of vaso-occlusive crises. We used three-colour flow cytometry with blood cell-specific antibodies and antibodies to endothelial antigens CD105 and CD144.

Expression of angiopoietic factors in normal and type-I diabetes human placenta: a pilot study.

Objectives: Morphological changes of blood vessel wall have been described in placenta from pregnancies complicated by diabetes mellitus type-I.

Study Design: We measured mRNA expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), angiopoietin 1 and 2 (Ang-1 and Ang-2), their receptors VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2, Tie-2, fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2), and its receptor FGF-2R in placental tissue of diabetes type-I patients, in normal term placenta, and endometrium of non-pregnant women by real time reverse transcriptase PCR.

Results: The expression of Ang-2 and VEGFR-1 mRNAs was significantly higher in placenta (P View Article and Find Full Text PDF