Transgenic sickle mice have vascular inflammation

John D Belcher1, Christopher J Bryant, Julia Nguyen

  • 1Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455, USA. belcher@umn.edu

Blood
|January 25, 2003
PubMed

Inflammation may play an essential role in vaso-occlusion in sickle cell disease. Sickle patients have high white counts and elevated levels of serum C-reactive protein (CRP), cytokines, and adhesion molecules. In addition, circulating endothelial cells, leukocytes, and platelets are activated. We examined 4 transgenic mouse models expressing human alpha- and sickle beta-globin genes to determine if they mimic the inflammatory response seen in patients. These mouse models are designated NY-S, Berk-S(Antilles), NY-S/S(Antilles) (NY-S x Berk-S(Antilles)), and Berk-S. The mean white counts were elevated 1.4- to 2.1-fold (P