title: Thalassemic serum impairs endothelial cell growth in vitro.
abstract: Endothelial cells cultured for 3 days in the presence of hemoglobin H pooled sera had significantly decreased cell proliferation compared to those in normal serum. Inhibition was demonstrated at a concentration of 20% pooled serum in the cultured medium. Further decrease was shown in the presence of 30% pooled hemoglobin H sera. Sera from two genotypes of Hb H disease (alpha-thal 1/alpha-thal 2 and alpha-thal 1/Hb Constant Spring) had the same degree of inhibitory effect. Pooled sera from beta-thal/Hb E patients (both splenectomized or nonsplenectomized cases) had no such inhibitory effect. However, at day 4 and 5, the growth pattern relatively declined. Bilirubin at a concentration greater than 4.0 mg% in the medium 199 also caused significant decrease in cell proliferation. Since the diluted Hb H serum had bilirubin less than 4.0 mg%, the inhibitory effect of the pooled HbH serum is thus not due to effect of bilirubin. The difference between HbH and beta-thal/HbE sera in terms of inhibition of endothelial cell proliferation is the new finding that needs further investigation to explain vascularization and hemostasis in the patients of these two genotypes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bunyaratvej
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Funahara
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Butthep
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kitaguchi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fucharoen
mesh_terms: D001663:Bilirubin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development*; D005838:Genotype; D006453:Hemoglobinopathies / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000601:surgery; D006455:Hemoglobins, Abnormal; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D013156:Splenectomy; D013997:Time Factors; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000166:cytology; D017085:alpha-Thalassemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D006455:Hemoglobins, Abnormal; C035541:Hemoglobin Constant Spring; D001663:Bilirubin