Sickle Cell Anemia Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Sickle Cell Anemia, including details on genetics, causes, symptoms.

Hypersusceptibility to invasive pneumococcal infection in experimental sickle cell disease involves platelet-activating factor receptor.

Miller ML, Gao G, Pestina T, Persons D, Tuomanen E

Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.

Children with sickle cell disease have a 600-fold increased incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease. Platelet-activating factor receptor (PAFr) mediates pneumococcal invasion, and up-regulation of PAFr on chronically activated endothelia could contribute to increased bacterial invasion. Mice transplanted with sickle cell bone marrow developed more extensive infection, and 57% died, compared with 16% of wild-type mice. Histopathological analysis revealed that sickle cell mice expressed significantly more PAFr on endothelia and epithelia. Pharmacological blockade or genetic deletion of PAFr protected sickle cell mice from mortality. We conclude that PAFr plays an important role in hypersusceptibility to pneumococcal infection in sickle cell disease.

Published 18 January 2007 in J Infect Dis, 195(4): 581-4.
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