Circulating CD133+VEGFR2+ and CD34+VEGFR2+ cells and arterial function in patients with beta-thalassaemia major

Arterial dysfunction has been documented in patients with beta-thalassaemia major. This study aimed to determine the quantity and proliferative capacity of circulating CD133+VEGFR2+ and CD34+VEGFR2+ cells in patients with beta-thalassaemia major and those after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), and their relationships with arterial function. Brachial arterial flow-mediated dilation (FMD), carotid arterial stiffness, the quantity of these circulating cells and their number of colony-forming units (CFUs) were determined in 17 transfusion-dependent thalassaemia patients, 14 patients after HSCT and 11 controls. Compared with controls, both patient groups had significantly lower FMD and greater arterial stiffness. Despite having increased CD133+VEGFR2+ and CD34+VEGFR2+ cells, transfusion-dependent patients had significantly reduced CFUs compared with controls (p = 0.002). There was a trend of increasing CFUs across the three groups with decreasing iron load (p = 0.011). The CFUs correlated with brachial FMD (p = 0.029) and arterial stiffness (p = 0.02), but not with serum ferritin level. Multiple linear regression showed that CFU was a significant determinant of FMD (p = 0.043) and arterial stiffness (p = 0.02) after adjustment of age, sex, body mass index, blood pressure and serum ferritin level. In conclusion, arterial dysfunction found in patients with beta-thalassaemia major before and after HSCT may be related to impaired proliferation of CD133+VEGFR2+ and CD34+VEGFR2+ cells

Estudo eritroleucométrico e proteinograma sérico do sangue do cordão umbilical e jugular de eqüinos ao nascimento e de suas respectivas mães Erythrocytometry and seric proteinogram of umbilical cord and jugular of foals at birth and respective mothers

Colheram-se amostras de sangue do cordão umbilical (SCU) e do sangue circulante de cinco eqüinos neonatos, imediatamente após o nascimento, e o sangue da própria mãe, utilizando-se um sistema a vácuo. O material foi submetido à contagem global de hemácias e leucócitos e à determinação do volume globular e da concentração de hemoglobina; à contagem diferencial de leucócitos em esfregaços sangüíneos; e ao cálculo dos índices eritrocitométricos. Foram realizadas a dosagem de proteínas séricas totais e a eletroforese das proteínas séricas em gel de agarose. Não houve diferenças significativas entre os parâmetros do SCU e do sangue da jugular dos potros. No SCU dos potros observaram-se valores mais elevados para contagem global de hemácias (9,75x10(6)/µl), dosagem de hemoglobina (14,65g/dl) e concentração de hemoglobina corpuscular média (37,23g/dl); e valores menores para volume corpuscular médio (40,50fl), proteína total (4,37g/dl), alfa-globulinas (0,65g/dl), beta-globulinas (1,10g/dl), gama-globulinas (0g/dl) e contagens global (5,40 x 10³/µl) e diferencial de leucócitos, exceto contagem de neutrófilos bastonetes e monócitos, quando comparados com os valores obtidos no sangue de suas mães.<br>Umbilical cord blood (UCB) and systemic blood samples were collected from five equine neonates, immediately after birth. Systemic blood samples from their mothers were also collected at the same time, using a vacuum system. The samples were submitted to the following analyses: red blood cell and total white blood cell counts; determinations of packed cell volume and hemoglobin concentration; differential white cell count in blood smears; and determination of erythrocytometric values. Total serum proteins quantification and serum proteins electrophoresis in agarose gel were done. No significant difference (P<0.05) was noted between averages in neonate jugular blood and equine UCB. Equine UCB showed higher values of red blood cell count (9.75x10(6)/µ), hemoglobin determination (14.65g/dl), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (37.23g/dl); but lower values of mean corpuscular volume (40.50fl), total protein (4.37g/dl), alpha-globulin (0.65 g/dl), beta-globulin (1.10g/dl), gamma-globulin (0g/dl), total (5.40x10³/µl), and differential leukocytes count, except for band neutrophils and monocytes counts, when compared to the blood of the mares