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F Belloc

Publications and source records attributed to F Belloc.

84 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Soluble fibrinogen derivatives generated by thrombin: affinity for elastin.

When human citrated plasma is dialysed against a phosphate buffer containing Ca++, citrate anions are removed, thrombin is generated and soluble fibrinogen derivatives (fibrin monomers and/or soluble fibrin polymers) are formed. These derivatives are able to combine with human or bovine elastin to form a very stable addition product or adduct. The formation of the adduct is dependent on time, Ca++ and thrombin concentrations.

Animals↗

Fibrinogen synthesis by megakaryocyte rich human marrow cell concentrates.

A rapid method is described for the production of a human marrow cell suspension highly enriched in megakaryocytes. These concentrates were incubated with radiolabelled amino-acids, and cell lysates were then analysed for fibrinogen synthesis. Neosynthesized proteins were detected by immunoprecipitation, immuno-affinity chromatography and electrophoresis. Fluorography of the electrophoresis gels showed three radioactive bands corresponding to the three chains of cold fibrinogen. Immunoblotting and autoradiography of bidimensional, nonreduced-reduced electrophoresis gels showed that these three proteins were joined by disulfide bonds in the cell. These results suggest that megakaryocytes synthesize fibrinogen, and imply that platelet fibrinogen is of megakaryocytic origin.

Autoradiography↗

Distribution of glycoprotein IIb-IIIa complexes in the surface membranes of human platelets and megakaryocytes.

The distribution of glycoprotein (GP) IIb-IIIa complexes in the surface membranes of human platelets and megakaryocytes was investigated by transmission electron microscopy of cells that had been incubated with Fab fragments of a human alloantibody (IgG L) specific for the complex. Binding was visualized by a second antibody conjugated to peroxidase or adsorbed onto gold particles. Initial studies showed that the peroxidase reaction product and the gold particles were to be found at the outer surface of unactivated platelets. The occasional small cluster of particles was present. A positive reaction, more apparent with peroxidase labelling, was also seen in the channels of the platelet open canalicular system. Gold particles were abundant on the outer surface of mature megakaryocytes, and their distribution resembled that on unactivated platelets. As with platelets, peroxidase-labelled antibodies penetrated better, and revealed GP IIb-IIIa in the demarcation membrane system. A double immunofluorescence study, involving Fab fragments of IgG L and rhodamine-conjugated antibodies to factor VIII R:Ag, demonstrated the presence of GP IIb-IIIa in megakaryocyte precursor cells. Our results show that the GP IIb-IIIa complex is present in megakaryocyte membranes and that it appears at the same time as the other platelet antigens.

Antigens, Surface↗

Immunocytochemical study of the binding of fibrinogen and thrombospondin to ADP- and thrombin-stimulated human platelets.

We have used immunogold staining to locate thrombospondin (TSP) on thrombin-activated human platelets, and have compared its distribution with that of fibrinogen (or fibrin) on thrombin- and ADP-stimulated platelets. To do this, isolated platelets were incubated with monospecific antibodies to TSP or fibrinogen (fib) and the bound IgG located with a second antibody adsorbed to gold particles. Thrombin-induced secretion in Tyrode-Ca2+ was followed by both anti-TSP and anti-fib binding, with large clusters of gold particles observed on the platelet surface. Little or no labeling was observed on unstimulated platelets with either antibody. When secretion was effected in Tyrode-EDTA, anti-TSP IgG still bound to the activated platelets, but the number of particle clusters was significantly reduced. Little binding of anti-fib IgG now occurred. Platelets activated with ADP in the presence of added fib, and subsequently incubated with anti-fib IgG, showed small particle clusters over the whole platelet surface. Thrombin-stimulated platelets from two patients with thrombasthenia bound anti-TSP IgG similarly to normal platelets activated in Tyrode-EDTA. No anti-fib binding occurred. Our results suggest that fib and TSP bind to specific domains on the stimulated platelet membrane. Such sites may be responsible for the mediation of platelet surface contact interactions.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

Mepacrine labelling test and uranaffin cytochemical reaction in human megakaryocytes.

5-HT storage organelles were observed by electron microscope analysis in human megakaryocytes. They were less numerous per unit of surface than in platelets. Their number depended on the visualization technique employed. Thus after fixation with calcium-enriched glutaraldehyde a higher number of very opaque organelles was observed than of uranaffin-positive organelles after the cytochemical uranaffin reaction. With conventional electron microscopy deep black granules characteristic of dense bodies were not observed. Fluorescent microscopy showed greenish-yellow granules distributed throughout the whole cytoplasm in 96 +/- 1.4% of normal megakaryocytes incubated with mepacrine. In 85.6 +/- 5%, 5.28 +/- 1.28 granules per 10 microns 2 were observed. With the mepacrine labelling test, 74% of the megakaryocytes of a patient with Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome contained no granules. A similar finding was made in the platelets of the same patient. This suggests that mepacrine also stains the dense bodies in the megakaryocytes and that in the Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome the platelet anomaly is secondary to a megakaryocyte anomaly.

Adult↗

Protein synthesis in human platelets correlation with platelet size.

Protein synthesis was investigated in human platelets by measuring incorporation of radio actively labelled amino acids into trichloroacetic acid (TCA) precipitable material. Platelet polysomes were characterized by their sedimentation rate in a sucrose gradient. It was confirmed that platelets synthesize proteins in their cytoplasm and that a part of their polysomes are bound to the skeletal framework. A higher level of protein synthesis was found in a population of small platelets separated on Ficoll (2%-4%) density gradient. Moreover, small platelets contained more polysomes than larger platelets. These results show that small platelets are more active in protein turnover or de novo synthesis. These findings can be related to peripheral maturation of platelets.

Blood Platelets↗

Fluorescence-based selection of retrovirally transduced cells in congenital erythropoietic porphyria: direct selection based on the expression of the therapeutic gene.

BACKGROUND: Congenital erythropoietic porphyria (CEP) is an inherited disease caused by a deficiency of uroporphyrinogen III synthase, the fourth enzyme of the haem biosynthesis pathway. It is characterized by accumulation of uroporphyrin I in the bone marrow, peripheral blood and other organs. The prognosis of CEP is poor with death occurring in early adult life and available treatments are only symptomatic and unsatisfactory. In vitro gene transfer experiments have documented the feasibility of gene therapy via haematopoietic stem cells to treat this disease. To facilitate future ex vivo gene therapy in humans, the design of efficient selection procedures to increase the frequency of genetically corrected cells prior to autologous transplantation is a critical step. METHODS: An alternative selection procedure based upon expression of a transferred gene was performed on a lymphoblastoid (LB) cell line from a patient with congenital erythropoietic porphyria to obtain high frequencies of genetically modified cells. The presence of exogeneous delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), a haem precursor, induces an increase in porphyrin accumulation in LB deficient cells. Porphyrins exhibit a specific fluorescent emission and can be detected by cytofluorimetry under ultraviolet excitation. RESULTS: In genetically modified cells, the restored metabolic flow from ALA to haem led to a lesser accumulation of porphyrins in the cells, which were easily separated from the deficient cells by flow cytometry cell sorting. CONCLUSION: This selection process represents a rapid and efficient procedure and an excellent alternative to the use of potentially harmful gene markers in retroviral vectors.

Adult↗

Role of blast cell immunophenotyping for the diagnosis and prognosis of acute myeloid leukemia.

Bone marrow blast cell antigen expression from 86 patients with de novo acute myeloid leukemias (AML) was studied and correlated with FAB classification and clinical outcome. Among a panel of 14 monoclonal antibodies routinely used for the diagnosis of acute leukemias we studied the expression of six antibodies (CD13, CD15, VIM2, CD33, CD14, CD34) of the granulomonocytic lineage and found that some of them were useful for diagnosis and/or prognosis. For FAB subclassification of AML, the CD13 or VIM2 antigen expression was of no benefit. Monocytic leukemias (M4 + M5PD + M5WD) more frequently expressed CD34 antigen (28/31) than granulocytic (M1 + M2 + M3) subtypes (33/53) (P < 0.01). Finally, the most striking differences were found with CD14 antigen expression: CD14 antigen was more frequently expressed in M4 + M5 leukemias (21/31) than in M1 + M2 + M3 subtypes (12/33) (P < 0.01). The mean percentage of CD14 positive blast cells was accordingly higher in monocytic leukemias than in granulocytic leukemias and the difference was highly significant (P < 0.0001). The CD15 antigen was more frequently expressed in differentiated leukemias (M2 + M3 + M4 + M5WD) (35/44) than in poorly differentiated forms (M1 + M5PD) (17/37) (P < 0.001). The statistical difference was higher when the mean percentage of CD15 positive blast cells were compared (P < 0.0003). Moreover these latter percentages were different in M1 and M2 subtypes (P < 0.003). The blast cell expression of CD13, CD14, CD15 or CD33 was not predictive of the length of CR or survival. Moreover, our results support previously published findings suggesting a longer overall survival duration for patients whose leukemic cells do not express the CD34 antigen (P < 0.01). We also confirm that patients with the more differentiated subtypes of AML (CD13-, CD34+) tend to survive longer than patients with the less differentiated subtypes of AML (CD13-, CD34+) (P < 0.001).

Adolescent↗

[Effects of prolactin on nucleo-proteic metabolism in gill epithelium of two euryhalin mullets, Chelon labrosus and Liza ramada during fresh-water adaptation (author's transL)].

Prolactin (PRL) treatment induced a decrease in DNA content in SW, -- an increase in FW 8 days, -- and no effect in FW 20 days fish. In "nuclear", "microsomal" and "supernatant" centrifugation fractions, RNA content was increased in SW, -- decreased in FW 8 days, by PRL treatment while a little increase was observed in FW 20 days fish with an increase of 14C leucine and 3H uridine incorporation. These results are discussed with reference to existence of two chloride-cell-types.

Adaptation, Physiological↗