German Red Cross

About: German Red Cross is a healthcare organization based out in Berlin, Germany. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Transplantation & Mesenchymal stem cell. The organization has 653 authors who have published 1146 publications receiving 40111 citations. The organization is also known as: Deutsches Rotes Kreuz & DRK.

Human neutrophil antigens: a nomenclature update based on new alleles and new antigens

Abstract: In 1998, the ISBT Granulocyte Antigen Working Party established a new nomenclature for the human neutrophil antigens (HNA) which included five antigen systems and a total of seven antigens. In the meantime, new antigens and new alleles have been described and these now make it necessary for the ISBT HNA nomenclature subcommittee to present a proposal for an HNA nomenclature update. HNA-1 includes four antigens, HNA-1a, HNA-1b, HNA-1c and HNA-1d, which can result from five different Fcγ receptor IIIb (FcγRIIIb)-encoding alleles, FCGR3B*01, *02, *03, *04 and *05. Due to copy number variation, individuals may exhibit between zero and four alleles leading to either the HNA-1 null type or combinations of the known HNA-1 antigens. Current data indicate that HNA-2 is an isoantigen without allelic variation, encoded by the CD177 gene. Individuals without any HNA-2 expression on their neutrophils are addressed as HNA-2 null. The two antithetical antigens of the choline-transporter-like protein 2 (CTL2), HNA-3a and HNA-3b, are encoded by the three different alleles SLC44A2*01, *02 and *03, which discriminate in one or two nucleotide substitutions. HNA-4a, which is encoded by the ITGAM*01 allele, is an antigen of the αMβ2-integrin. The αLβ2-integrin contains HNA-5a as the only antigen which is encoded by the ITGAL*01 allele. Antigens and alleles other than those listed have to be approved by the ISBT Granulocyte Immunobiology Working Party (GIWP) before they can be assigned to the official nomenclature.

Pre-diagnostic plasma concentrations of Fibrinogen, sGPIIb/IIIa, sP-selectin, sThrombomodulin, Thrombopoietin in relation to cancer risk: Findings from a large prospective study.

Abstract: While enhanced platelet activation may drive cancer progression and metastases, less is known about its role in early cancer development. Thus, we evaluated whether pre-diagnostic biomarkers of platelet activation and coagulation are related to the risks of common cancers in the prospective EPIC-Heidelberg Study using a case-cohort design. Levels of fibrinogen, soluble glycoprotein (sGP) IIb/IIIa, soluble P-selectin (sP-selectin), soluble thrombomodulin (sTM), and thrombopoietin (TPO) were measured in baseline plasma samples of a random subcohort (n = 2,480) and incident cases of breast (n = 605), prostate (n = 543), and colorectal cancer (n = 249). Multivariable Cox regression models revealed no statistically significant associations between biomarker concentrations and any of the cancer endpoints. Subgroup analyses showed a significant inverse relationship between TPO and colorectal cancer among men, with a hazard ratio (HR, highest vs. lowest quartile) of 0.60 (95% confidence interval: 0.37,0.95), whereas no significant association was observed among women. With regard to fibrinogen levels and breast cancer risk, there was a significant positive association among nulliparous women (HR: 2.53 [95% CI: 1.21, 5.30]), but not among parous women. Overall, our data suggest that enhanced platelet activation and a pro-coagulative state may not be related to increased risks of common cancers, although studies on other potential biomarkers of platelet activation and further cancer types are needed. Findings from our subgroup analyses require further investigation, as potential underlying mechanisms are not known.

Sequence-Based Typing of Human Blood Groups.

Abstract: In the last two decades, all but one of the genes encoding the 30 blood group systems present on red blood cells have been identified. This body of knowledge has permitted the application of molecular techniques to characterize the common blood group antigens and to elucidate the background for some of the variant phenotypes. DNA sequencing methodology was developed in the late 1970s and has become one of the most widely used techniques in molecular biology. In the field of immunohematology, this method is currently used by specialized laboratories to elucidate the molecular basis of unusual blood group phenotypes that cannot be defined by serology and genotyping. Because of the heterogeneity of the blood groups on both the antigen and the genetic level, special knowledge of the biology of blood group systems is needed to design sequencing strategies and interpret sequence data. This review summarizes the technical and immunohematologic expertise that is required when applying sequence-based typing for characterization of human blood groups.

Low-Volume Leukapheresis in Non-Cytokine-Stimulated Donors for the Collection of Mononuclear Cells.

Abstract: Background There is an increasing demand for products containing mononuclear cells (MNCs) for cellular immune therapy Hence, leukapheresis is increasingly performed in healthy volunteer donors Methods We evaluated 147 low-volume leukapheresis procedures from 77 healthy non-cytokine-stimulated donors Complete blood counts (CBCs) of the donors were measured before and directly after the procedures as well as from the MNC products Follow-up CBCs were collected from donors within 21 days Results The product hematocrit within a range from 12 to 60% did not correlate with the collection efficiency of any cell population or the granulocyte and platelet yield There was a strong correlation between the CBC values before leukapheresis and the cell yield of lymphocytes and monocytes as well as a perfect negative correlation between cell recruitment and cell loss in all cell populations Furthermore, we observed a significant decrease in the CBC values in all cell populations directly after leukapheresis, which recovered within a mean of 161 days (SD ± 21 days) and even showed a significant increase in granulocytes and platelets Conclusion Low-volume leukapheresis is feasible for the collection of MNCs in which the product hematocrit is negligible for the collection efficiency, cell yield, or contamination of residual cells under operational settings recommended by the manufacturer Our data suggests that cell recruitment is regulated by the number of cells removed, which may also be the stimulus to induce granulo- and thrombopoiesis within the first days after leukapheresis