Congenital bleeding disorders of the vitamin K-dependent clotting factors.

Congenital bleeding disorders of the vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors represent only about 15-20% of all congenital bleeding disorders. However, they played an important role of the history of blood coagulation. Prothrombin was the first entity dealt with. Subsequently, in the late 1940s or early 1950s, the discovery of factor IX allowed the separation of hemophilia into two groups, A and B. In the 1950s, the discovery of factors VII and X allowed the formulation of a logic and plausible explanation for the clotting mechanism. The subsequent discovery of vitamin K-dependent proteins with an inhibitory effect on blood coagulation has further enhanced the importance of the vitamin K-dependent clotting factors. Recently, the study of families with multiple defects of the prothrombin complex has spurred the interest in vitamin K metabolism and the gamma-carboxylation system. The relevance of these studies had also an important role in the understanding the mechanism of action of other noncoagulation-related proteins. The vitamin K-dependent clotting factors represent a homeostatic mechanism at the basis of the hypercoagulability (thrombosis)-hypocoagulability (hemorrhagic) system, namely, to a mechanism that is vital for survival. The different bleeding condition will be dealt with separately, namely, prothrombin or Factor II, Factor VII, Factor IX (hemophilia B), and Factor X deficiencies. An additional heading deals with the combined defect of the prothrombin complex, namely, combined deficiency of Factor II, Factor VII, Factor IX, and Factor X. Since, sometimes, a hemorrhagic role has been attributed to Protein Z deficiency, another vitamin K-dependent protein, this defect will also be dealt with, even though briefly. Each deficiency has been approached in a global manner, namely, with adequate reference to history, background, prevalence, classification, hereditary pattern, biochemistry and function, molecular biology, clinical picture, updated laboratory diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy. Particular emphasis has been placed on the significance of cases with "true" deficiency [cross-reacting material (CRM negative)] and cases with abnormalities (CRM positive). The genetic, clinical, and laboratory implications of these two forms have been extensively discussed in every instance. The importance of a multiple, combined diagnostic approach that has to include whenever possible clotting, chromogenic, immunological, and molecular biology studies has been underlined. Clotting tests have to be carried out using different activating agents since results may vary, thereby indicating a different reactivity of the abnormal protein. Molecular biology techniques, alone, are unable to supply plausible diagnostic conclusions. In fact the genotype-phenotype relation has not been clarified so far for most of these bleeding conditions. Recent progress in management such as the use of recombinant factor concentrates, results of liver transplantation, and attempts at genetic therapy has been discussed. Potential complications of therapeutic measures have also been discussed. A section dealing with future putative aims of research in this field will close the chapter.

Congenital FX deficiency combined with other clotting defects or with other abnormalities: a critical evaluation of the literature.

The presence of more than one congenital clotting defect in a given patient is a rare event but not an exceptional one. Combined defects of factor X (FX) are very rare because congenital isolated FX deficiency is by itself very rare. A perusal of personal files and of the literature has yielded 12 families with FX deficiency in which an association with another clotting factor deficiency was found. The associated defects were factor VII (FVII) or factor VIII (FVIII) or factor XII (FXII) deficiency. By far the most frequently associated was with FVII. Two forms of this association were found. In the first form there is casual association of both FVII and FX deficiency in the proband with independent recessive segregation of the two defects in other family members. The second form is because of abnormalities in chromosome 13 (deletions, translocations and so on) involving both FX and FVII genes. These genes are known to be very close and located on the long arm of chromosome 13 at about 13q34. In this form the hereditary pattern is autosomal dominant. Isolated FX deficiency and, more frequently, combined FX + FVII deficiency appear also associated with coagulation-unrelated abnormalities (carotid body tumours, mitral valve prolapse, atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect, thrombocytopenia absent radius (TAR) syndrome, mental retardation, microcephaly and cleft palate). Diagnosis of a combined clotting defect could be difficult on the basis of global tests. For example, both isolated FX deficiency and combined FX + FVII deficiency yield a prolongation of basal PTT and PT. Only specific assays could allow one to reach the correct diagnosis. In cases of casual association with other defects, it is also important to study family members, as the two defects should segregate independently.

Gross anatomy of the corpus callosum in Alzheimer's disease: regions of degeneration and their neuropsychological correlates.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Differences in the gross shape of the corpus callosum (CC) and its subregional areas were investigated on brain MRI of patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) and age- and gender-matched healthy normal control subjects. The AD patients differed from the normal control subjects in terms of a more convex shape and a reduced area of the CC. METHODS: As for the comparisons of the subregional areas of the CC, we adapted a splitting method which takes into account the modification of the global shape of the CC, and we implemented it by normalizing the CC, to avoid the bias introduced by the observed callosal shape variability. RESULTS: The application of this method unveiled that the regional CC reductions were located in the anterior and posterior third of the CC, i.e. where small myelinated fibers are more frequent. None of the neuropsychological scores collected at the time of the MRI investigation of AD could predict a regional and/or overall callosal area reduction. The only measure that correlated with area of the isthmus of the CC was the MMSE that was administered to all participants. CONCLUSIONS: This latter result may be used as an in vivo indicator of the progress of neocortical disintegration in AD.

Arterial and venous thrombosis in patients with von Willebrand's disease: a critical review of the literature.

All patients with von Willebrand's disease (vWD) who showed an arterial or venous thrombosis and were reported in the literature have been evaluated. 11 patients had arterial thrombosis while 19 had venous thrombosis for a total of 30 cases. 9 out the 11 cases with arterial thrombosis had myocardial infarction. Two had cerebral thrombosis. Associated risk factors for arterial thrombosis were available only for three patients who showed, respectively, smoking and dyslipidemia (2 cases) and smoking and intravenous desmopressin infusion (1 case). The majority of patients with venous thrombosis showed DVT with or without PE. Four patients presented with apparently isolated PE. In two instances thrombosis occurred in unusual sites (central retinal vein and portal vein, respectively). Several associated risk factors were present, mainly: infusion of FVIII or FVIII + vWF concentrates in 7 cases; surgery in 8 cases, pregnancy in 1, desmopressin infusion in 1, variable coagulation defects or polymorphisms in 5. More than one of these associated conditions were present in a few patients. The majority of vWD patients who showed thrombotic phenomena were type I patient, but in 6 cases were also type 3. The type of defect was not reported in 6 patients. As a conclusion of this review it seems safe to assume that both arterial and venous thrombosis appear rare in vWD. This is confirmed by the fact that arterial or venous thrombosis appears slightly more frequent in hemophilia A and B.

Adrenaline potentiates type 2B von Willebrand factor-induced activation of human platelets by enhancing both the formation and action of thromboxanes.

Von Willebrand factor (vWF) is a large plasma glycoprotein that mediates platelet adhesion at sites of vascular injury. We have previously reported that the pathological type 2B (formerly named type IIB) variant of vWF promotes platelet activation through phospholipase A(2)-mediated release of arachidonic acid. The present report shows that adrenaline (1 microM) potentiates type 2B vWF-induced platelet aggregation, serotonin secretion, rise in cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration, and pleckstrin phosphorylation, as well as thromboxane B(2) production. The hormone also increases the partially inhibited release of serotonin observed in platelets pretreated with the anti-GPIIb-IIIa antibody LJCP8 but does remove the total inhibition on the secretion caused by the anti-GPIb antibody LJIB1. Adrenaline also increases type 2B vWF-elicited tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins with apparent molecular masses of 60 and 80 kDa. Furthermore, adrenaline potentiates the rise in cytosolic Ca(2+) and the release of thromboxane B(2) in platelets stimulated with arachidonic acid (2 microM) as well as the increase in Ca(2+) induced by the thromboxane mimetic U46619 (0.3 microM). Platelet pretreatment with yohimbine or 13-azaprostanoic acid, which are antagonists of the alpha(2)-adrenergic and thromboxane receptors, respectively, or with acetylsalicylate and indomethacin, both of which act as inhibitors of thromboxane formation, abolishes the potentiating effect of adrenaline. These observations lead to the conclusion that the potentiating action of adrenaline on type 2B vWF-promoted platelet responses is due to an increase in both the formation and activating action of thromboxanes.

Correlation between cytosolic Ca2+ concentration, protein phosphorylation and platelet secretion.

Addition of the calcium-ionophore ionomycin to acetylsalicylate-treated platelets suspended in a low Ca2+ concentration-containing medium (about 0.1 microM), induced a dose-dependent (range 0.25-3 microM) and transient increase in the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]c). Less than 10% of the maximal releasable amount of serotonin was secreted at [Ca2+]c lower than 1 microM, whereas secretion was almost maximal at [Ca2+]c higher than 2 microM. In all cases the secretion stopped after about 1 min even if the [Ca2+]c was kept constant by repeated small additions of CaCl2 (25-40 microM). A rapid phosphorylation of pleckstrin (47 kDa) and myosin light chain (20 kDa) was found in all cases, whereas a weak phosphorylation of a 27 kDa protein occurred at [Ca2+]c lower than 1.5 microM. Addition of 0.2 mM CaCl2 to platelets pretreated for 4 min with 0.5-1 microM ionomycin brought about a serotonin secretion remarkably lower than obtained by the simultaneous addition of CaCl2 and ionophore. Platelets suspended in a low calcium-containing medium and exposed to ionomycin showed a major increase in tyrosine phosphorylation of 60 and 72 kDa proteins and a slight increment in tyrosine phosphorylation of 115 and 130 kDa proteins. Subsequent addition of 0.2 mM CaCl2 induced a widespread phosphotyrosine dephosphorylation, particularly evident in the 60 kDa protein identified as p60c-src kinase. The protein kinase inhibitor genistein caused, together with a marked prevention of the protein tyrosine phosphorylation, a remarkable increase in the ionomycin-elicited secretory activity of platelets All together these results indicate that protein kinase C-dependent pleckstrin phosphorylation is a prerequisite of platelet secretion, but that the latter process is apparently regulated by a network of phosphoproteins, in particular the serine/threonine phosphorylation of 27 and 68 kDa proteins and the tyrosine phosphorylation of the p60c-src were found to be associated with a decrease in the secretory activity.

Schistosoma mansoni antigenic extracts obtained by different extraction procedures.

Foi obtida a solubilizacao de antigenos do Schistosoma mansoni por agitacao de vermes adultos em solucao de KCl 3M. O teor proteico dos extratos de KCl variou de 0,35 a 0,96mg/ ml. Foram testados pelos metodos de imunoeletroosmoforese (IEOP) e dupla imunodifusao (Ouchterlony), 97 soros de doentes de area endemica brasileira de esquistossomose, forma clinica hepatointestinal e com exames coprologicos positivos para S.mansoni, com o extrato de KCl e outro antigeno obtido pela homogenizacao de vermes adultos em salina. A taxa de positividade das reacoes de imunoprecipitacao por IEOP com o antigeno extraido pela acao do KCl 3M foi 53,5%. Foi verificada a correlacao entre os metodos de deteccao e de extracao resultando numa melhor associacao entre o extrato obtido por agitacao no KCl 3M e a IEOP