Blood
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The majority of peripheral serotonin is stored in platelets, which secrete it on activation. Serotonin releases Weibel-Palade bodies (WPBs) and we asked whether absence of platelet serotonin affects neutrophil recruitment in inflammatory responses. Tryptophan hydroxylase (Tph)1–deficient mice, lacking non-neuronal serotonin, showed mild leukocytosis compared with wild-type (WT), primarily driven by an elevated neutrophil count. ⋯ Four hours after inflammatory stimulation, neutrophil extravasation into lung, peritoneum, and skin wounds was reduced in Tph1(-/-) mice, whereas in vitro neutrophil chemotaxis was independent of serotonin. Survival of lipopolysaccharide-induced endotoxic shock was improved in Tph1(-/-) mice. In conclusion, platelet serotonin promotes the recruitment of neutrophils in acute inflammation, supporting an important role for platelet serotonin in innate immunity.
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Polycythemia vera (PV) is characterized by an increased RBC mass, spontaneous erythroid colony formation, and the JAK2V617F mutation. PV is associated with a high risk of mesenteric and cerebral thrombosis. PV RBC adhesion to endothelial laminin is increased and mediated by phosphorylated erythroid Lu/BCAM. ⋯ Surprisingly, knocking-down EpoR in HEL cells did not alter Akt activity or cell adhesion to laminin. Our findings reveal a novel EpoR-independent Rap1/Akt signaling pathway that is activated by JAK2V617F in circulating PV RBCs and responsible for Lu/BCAM activation. This new characteristic of JAK2V617F could play a critical role in initiating abnormal interactions among circulating and endothelial cells in patients with PV.
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CD59 deficiency is a common finding in RBCs and WBCs in patients with chronic hemolysis suffering from paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria in which the acquired mutation in the PIGA gene leads to membrane loss of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored membrane proteins, including CD59. The objective of the present study was to elucidate the molecular basis of childhood familial chronic Coombs-negative hemolysis and relapsing polyneuropathy presenting as chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy in infants of North-African Jewish origin from 4 unrelated families. A founder mutation was searched for using homozygosity mapping followed by exome sequencing. ⋯ The mutated protein was present in the patients' cells in reduced amounts and was undetectable on the membrane surface. Based on the results of the present study, we conclude that the Cys89Tyr mutation in CD59 is associated with a failure of proper localization of the CD59 protein in the cell surface. This mutation is manifested clinically in infancy by chronic hemolysis and relapsing peripheral demyelinating disease.
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Treatment of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) in younger patients remains a challenge. We report results of a phase 2 trial using cytarabine and rituximab as induction regimen before autologous stem cell transplantation. Patients younger than 66 years with stage 3 or 4 MCL were included. ⋯ No toxic death or unexpected toxicities were observed. This study confirms that induction with rituximab and cytarabine-based regimens is safe and effective in MCL patients. This regimen is currently compared with R-CHOP(21) induction in a multicentric European protocol.