22 research outputs found
Sheep alpha-globin gene sequences: implications for their concerted evolution and for the down regulation of the 3' genes.
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Electron microscopy investigation of the Townes mouse spleen: an example of Translational Anatomy
No full textMorphological investigation of endothelial and sub-endothelial alterations associated with sickle cell trait in a mouse model
No full textDeficiency in interferon type 1 receptor improves definitive erythropoiesis in Klf1 null mice
No full textA key regulatory gene in definitive erythropoiesis is the transcription factor Krüppel-like factor 1 (Klf1). Klf1 null mice die in utero by day 15.5 (E15.5) due to impaired definitive erythropoiesis and severe anemia. Definitive erythropoiesis takes place in erythroblastic islands in mammals. Erythroblastic islands are formed by a central macrophage (Central Macrophage of Erythroblastic Island, CMEI) surrounded by maturating erythroblasts. Interferon-β (IFN-β) is activated in the fetal liver’s CMEI of Klf1 null mice. The inhibitory effect of IFN-β on erythropoiesis is known and, therefore, we speculated that IFN-β could have contributed to the impairment of definitive erythropoiesis in Klf1 knockout (KO) mice fetal liver. To validate this hypothesis, in this work we determined whether the inactivation of type I interferon receptor (Ifnar1) would ameliorate the phenotype of Klf1 KO mice by improving the lethal anemia. Our results show a prolonged survival of Klf1/Ifnar1 double KO embryos, with an improvement of the definitive erythropoiesis and erythroblast enucleation, together with a longer lifespan of CMEI in the fetal liver and also a restoration of the apoptotic program. Our data indicate that the cytotoxic effect of IFN-β activation in CMEI contribute to the impairment of definitive erythropoiesis associated with Klf1 deprivation
In vivo activation of the human δ-globin gene: the therapeutic potential in β- thalassemic mice
No full textβ-thalassemia and Sickle Cell Disease are widespread fatal genetic diseases. None of the existing clinical treatments are resolving for all patients. So far two main strategies for the treatment are being investigated: (i) gene transfer of a normal β-globin gene; (ii) reactivation of the endogenous γ-globin gene. To date, neither approach has led to a satisfactory, commonly accepted standard of care. The δ-globin gene produces the δ-globin of the hemoglobin A2. Although low expressed, hemoglobin A2 is fully functional and could be a valid substitute of hemoglobin A in β-thalassemia disorder, as well as an antisickling agent in Sickle Cell Disease. Previous in vitro results suggested the feasibility to transcriptionally activate the human δ-globin gene promoter by inserting a Kruppel-like factor 1 binding site. We evaluate the activation of the Kruppel-like factor 1 containing δ-globin gene in vivo in transgenic mice. To evaluate the therapeutic potential we crossed the transgenic mice carrying a single copy activated δ-globin gene with a mouse model of β-thalassemia intermedia. Here we show that the human δ-globin gene can be activated in vivo in a stage and tissue specific fashion simply by the insertion of a Kruppel-like factor 1 binding site into the promoter. In addiction the activated δ-globin gene gives rise to a robust increase of the hemoglobin level in β-thalassemic mice, effectively improving the thalassemia phenotype. These results demonstrate, for the first time, the therapeutical potential of the δ-globin gene to treat severe hemoglobin disorders which could lead to novel approaches for the cure of β-hemoglobinopathies not involving gene addiction or reactivation
Carrier detection and early diagnosis of Wilson's disease by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis.
No full textWilson's disease, a rare autosomal recessive disorder, has been recently mapped to the long arm of chromosome 13 (q14.1). In this study, we carried out linkage analysis between three chromosome 13 DNA markers, D13S1, D13S10, D13S2, the locus for the red cell enzyme esterase D (ESD), and the Wilson's disease locus (WND) in 17 Wilson's disease families of Italian descent, mostly from Sardinia. We confirmed a tight linkage [theta = 0.00, Z (theta) = 4.07] between the WND and ESD loci, and provided suggestive evidence for linkage [theta = 0.00, Z(theta) = 1.85] of the WND locus with D13S10. Multipoint linkage analysis indicated the following order: centromere-D13S1-D13S10-WND-ESD-D13S2. RFLP analysis at these two loci in our families allowed us either to define the carrier status (50%) or to exclude the homozygous state (25%) in the great majority of unaffected sibs
Differentiation of human adult CD34+ stem cells into cells with a neural phenotype: Role of astrocytes
No full textIt has recently been reported that adult hematopoietic stem cells can differentiate into neural cells, opening new frontiers in therapy for neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, adult human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) were isolated via magnetic bead sorting, using a specific CD34 antibody and cultured with human astrocyte culture conditioned medium (ACM). In order to evaluate their differentiation into neurons and/or astrocytes, ACM-treated cultures were probed for the expression of several neural markers. We observed morphological modifications and, after 20 days of treatment, cell morphology displayed extending processes. Immunocytochemistry, Western blotting and RT-PCR showed the expression of neuronal markers such as neurofilaments, neuron specific enolase (NSE) and NeuN in ACM-treated HSCs cultured in poly-L-lysine-coated dishes. On the contrary, when the same ACM-treated cells were grown on a plastic substrate, they expressed high levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), with only weak expression of neuronal markers. Nestin, a neural progenitor cell marker, was present in treated cells, regardless of the substrate. These results demonstrate that astrocytes can generate a suitable microenvironment for inducing HSCs to differentiate into neural cells. Therefore, adult bone marrow may represent a readily accessible source of cells for treating neurodegenerative diseases
