Publications by authors named "Samuel Brashears"
Article Synopsis
- Macrophages play a crucial role in managing heme metabolism and increase in number during the breakdown of damaged red blood cells (RBCs) in the liver, which is linked to their immune function.
- The study reveals that an increase in RBC disposal by macrophages during a pulmonary infection with Klebsiella pneumoniae leads to an immunosuppressive state, resulting in increased bacterial growth outside the lungs and poorer survival rates in infected mice.
- This immunosuppression is related to a decrease in the STAT1 pathway and interferon responses, primarily influenced by the porphyrin component of heme, rather than by the iron it contains, indicating a complex relationship between heme metabolism and immune response during severe infections.
Background: No studies have been performed comparing intravenous (IV) iron with transfused red blood cells (RBCs) for treating anemia during infection. In a previous report, transfused older RBCs increased free iron release and mortality in infected animals when compared to fresher cells. We hypothesized that treating anemia during infection with transfused fresh RBCs, with minimal free iron release, would prove superior to IV iron therapy.
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