Bruce L. Evatt

Medical, reproductive and psychosocial experiences of women diagnosed with von Willebrand's disease receiving care in haemophilia treatment centres: a case–control study

Summary. Objective:  To assess the medical, gynaecological and reproductive experiences of women with von Willebrands disease (VWD) and to evaluate the impact of VWD on mental health and life activities.

Trends in clinical management of women with von Willebrand disease: a survey of 75 women enrolled in haemophilia treatment centres in the United States

Summary.  Objective:  To assess the management of women with von Willebrand disease( vWD) in an Heamophilia Treatment Center (HTC) setting.

A racial difference in the prevalence of the Arg506->Gln mutation

Several recent studies have reported that the factor V Arg506-->Gln mutation is present in 3-10% of adults of European descent. To determine if the prevalence is comparable among Blacks, we have initiated a case-control study in a large urban hospital in Atlanta which serves a substantial black population. We have evaluated 131 black subjects with confirmed venous or arterial thrombosis and 61 black subjects without a history of thrombosis. Only one case and one control were positive for the Arg506-->Gln mutation. We conclude that the mutation is more common among Whites than Blacks.

Venous thrombosis in relation to fibrinogen and factor VII genes among African-Americans

We evaluated the relation between venous thrombosis and plasma fibrinogen levels, the HaeIII and BcI polymorphisms of the beta fibrinogen gene, and the MspI polymorphisms of the factor VII gene in a case-control study of African-Americans. The study included 91 venous thrombosis cases and 185 control subjects obtained from a hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. High plasma fibrinogen was associated with increased risk of venous thrombosis, but the finding was not statistically significant. There was little association between the HaeIII polymorphisms and the BclI polymorphisms and the risk of venous thrombosis. The prevalence of the M2/M2 genotype of the factor VII gene was higher among cases than controls, but the difference was not statistically significant. The prevalence of the HaeIII H2 allele and the BclI B2 allele of the beta fibrinogen gene, both of which have been associated with slightly higher levels of plasma fibrinogen in most studies, is considerably lower among African-Americans in this study than it is among Whites in the United States and among Northern Europeans. The study is limited by its small size. However, despite this limitation, it supports the belief that increased plasma fibrinogen levels are associated with increased venous thrombosis risk. The study also indicated that the HaeIII and the BclI polymorphisms of the beta fibrinogen gene and the MspI polymorphisms of the factor VII gene are not strong determinants of venous thrombosis.

Hemostatic properties of the SV-40 transfected human microvascular endothelial cell line (HMEC-1). A representative in vitro model for microvascular endothelium.

HMEC-1 is a SV-40T transfected human microvascular endothelial cell line that constitutively expresses RNA transcripts for plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), protein S (PS), von Willebrand factor (vWF), and thrombomodulin. Tissue factor (TF) can be induced in response to stimulation with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1alpha) and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). Proteins corresponding to PAI-1, t-PA, protein S and vWF genes were constitutively released in the culture supernatant. This cell line is a model that will be useful to investigate coagulation/fibrinolytic properties of microvascular endothelium.

Transforming growth factor-beta induces hemoglobin synthesis in a human erythroleukemia cell line

We have examined the effects of TGF beta 1 and TGF beta 2 on the HEL human erythroleukemia cell line. It was observed that TGF beta 1 and 2 induced hemoglobin synthesis in these cells without causing a significant negative effect on cell proliferation. The cell surface markers glycophorin A and transferrin receptor that are associated with erythroid differentiation were also increased. This cell line may provide a model system in which to study the regulation of globin gene expression by a physiological growth factor known to act on hemopoietic cells.

Phorbol Ester Induces Morphological Changes and Acidic Fibroblast Growth Factor RNA Expression in the RD/TE 671 Cell Line

The TE 671 medulloblastoma cell line was induced by phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) to resemble neuronal cells by both morphological and immunohistochemical criteria. Five days following PMA treatment at a concentration of 10 ng/ml, the cells acquired long cellular processes and cell growth was markedly inhibited. Immunohistochemically, PMA-treated cells stained intensely for neuron-specific enolase and were positive for neurofilaments. Northern blot analysis revealed that PMA induced the transcript for acidic fibroblast growth factor. Our data suggest that the TE 671 cell may be useful not only in the study of acidic fibroblast growth factor regulation but also as a model for embryonic tumor cell differentiation.