Affordable Method for Hematocrit Determination in Murine Models.

Hematocrit (Hct) is a powerful tool often used in a clinical setting for the diagnosis of blood conditions such as anemia. It is also used in the research field as a hematological parameter in both human and mouse models. Measuring Hct, however, involves the use of expensive standardized equipment (such as a CritSpin™ Microhematocrit Centrifuge). Here, we describe a novel, simple, and affordable method to determine the Hct in untreated wild-type (WT) mice and phenylhydrazine (PHZ)-induced anemic mice with reasonable accuracy, using a benchtop centrifuge commonly available in laboratories. Hct of murine samples processed with a benchtop centrifuge, when compared to the standardized method CritSpin™, showed comparable results. This approach for determining Hct of murine can prove useful to research laboratories that cannot afford specialized equipment for Hct studies. © 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Affordable Method for Hematocrit Determination in Murine Models Basic Protocol 2: Murine Sample Validation Support Protocol: Phenylhydrazine-induced anemia in wild-type (WT) mice.

The Characterization and Evaluation of the Soluble Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells-like Transcript-1 in Stable Coronary Artery Disease.

Platelets play crucial roles in the development and progression of coronary artery disease (CAD). The triggering receptor expressed in myeloid cells-like transcript-1 (TLT-1) is stored in platelet α granules, and activated platelets release a soluble fragment (sTLT-1). We set out to better characterize the constituent amino acids of sTLT-1 and to evaluate sTLT-1 for use as a biomarker in patients with stable CAD. We evaluated sTLT-1 release using immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry and employed statistical methods to retrospectively correlate sTLT-1 concentrations, utilizing ELISA in plasma samples from 1510 patients with documented stable CAD. We identified TLT-1 residues to 133 in platelet releasates. ADAM17 cuts TLT-1, suggesting that S136 is the C-terminal amino acid in sTLT-1. Our results revealed that for CAD patients, sTLT-1 levels did not differ significantly according to primary outcomes of death or major cardiac event; however, patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction had significantly lower plasma sTLT-1 levels as compared to those with normal LV function (981.62 ± 1141 pg/mL vs. 1247.48 ± 1589 pg/mL; p = 0.003). When patients were stratified based on sTLT-1 peak frequency distribution (544 pg/mL), a significant association with congestive heart failure was identified (OR = 2.94; 1.040-8.282; p = 0.042), which could be explained by LV dysfunction.

The enigmatic nature of the triggering receptor expressed in myeloid cells -1 (TLT- 1).

Receptors are important pharmacological targets on cells. The Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells (TREM) - Like Transcript - 1 is an abundant, yet little understood, platelet receptor. It is a single Ig domain containing receptor isolated in the α-granules of resting platelets and brought to the platelet surface upon activation. On platelets, the integrin αIIbß3 is the major receptor having roughly 80,000 copies. αIIbß3 is a heterodimeric multidomain structure that mediates platelet aggregation through its interaction with the plasma protein fibrinogen. Anti-platelet drugs have successfully targeted αIIbß3 to control thrombosis. Like αIIbß3, TLT-1 also binds fibrinogen, making its role in platelet function somewhat obscure. In this review, we highlight the known structural features of TLT-1 and present the challenges of understanding TLT-1 function. In our analysis of the dynamics of the platelet surface after activation we propose a model in which TLT-1 supports αIIbß3 function as a mechanoreceptor that may direct platelets toward immune function.