Heparin-binding epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like growth factor (HB-EGF) is found in cerebral neurons, and its expression is increased after hypoxic or ischemic injury, which also stimulates neurogenesis. To investigate the possible role of HB-EGF in hypoxic-ischemic induction of neurogenesis, we measured its expression, effects, and target receptors in embryonic murine cerebral cortical cultu...

The Bio-Rad Variant Hemoglobin Testing System is an automated HPLC analyzer marketed with a Beta-thalassemia Short Program to quantify hemoglobins (Hbs) F and A2 and assist in detecting Hbs A, S, C, D, and E. We evaluated this system to replace several traditional methods for Hb in our hospital laboratory. Analytical performance relevant to quantifying Hbs A, S, C, and F was assessed with blood...

The heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPGs) is a components of the extracellular matrix of skeletal muscle that is concentrated at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Recent studies have suggested that HSPG, together with its bound peptide growth factors, plays important roles in autocrine or paracrine types of regulation of cell growth and differentiation. Heparin-binding growth-associated molecule...

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic disorder in which emoglobin S (Hb S) predominates in red blood cells. It is onsidered a significant public health issue in Brazil.1–3 Sickle cell anemia (SCA, Hb SS) is the most common subype of SCD in the world. Although its clinical course is ariable, patients with SCA generally have the most severe henotype. SCD also includes the heterozygous combinatio...

Current research indicates that lipid peroxidation could have a role in aluminium toxicity. The aim of this study was to asses lipid peroxidation and antioxidative enzyme activity in erythrocytes of workers occupationally exposed to aluminium. We investigated a group of 59 workers (Al group) exposed to aluminium fumes (contamination factor F=8.07 to 13.47, national maximal allowed concentration...

Human minor histocompatibility antigens (mHags) play an important role in the induction of cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) reactivity against leukemia after human histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA)-identical allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). As most mHags are not leukemia specific but are also expressed by normal tissues, antileukemia reactivity is often associated with life-th...

Nitric oxide (NO) and ethylene are signalling molecules that are synthesized in response to oxygen depletion. Non-symbiotic plant haemoglobins (Hbs) have been demonstrated to act in roots under oxygen depletion to scavenge NO. Using Arabidopsis thaliana plants, the online emission of NO or ethylene was directly quantified under normoxia, hypoxia (0.1-1.0% O(2)), or full anoxia. The production o...

Jun is a transcription factor belonging to the activator protein 1 family. A mutated version of Jun (v-Jun) transduced by the avian retrovirus ASV17 induces oncogenic transformation in avian cell cultures and sarcomas in young galliform birds. The oncogenicity of Jun probably results from transcriptional deregulation of v-Jun-responsive target genes. Here we describe the identification and char...

Since the observation of a “fast-moving” hemoglobin (Hb) in diabetic blood specimens by Rahbar in 1968 [1] and the subsequent structural identification of the glucose-“modified” Hb [2], the measurement of erythrocyte glycoHb (Hb A1c) has served as the monitor for long-term glucose control for patients with diabetes mellitus [3]. Column chromatography was one of the first methodologies used for ...