Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Beta-2 Glycoprotein I And Its Role In Antiphospholipid Syndrome: Lessons From Knockout Mice, Spyridon Miyakis, Sarah A. Robertson, S A. Krilis

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

The antiphospholipid syndrome is characterized by the presence in serum of autoantibodies against h2GPI. Although the role of h2GPI in the pathogenesis of antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) is well recognized, its exact physiological functions still remain undisclosed. Several interactions of h2GPI with components of the coagulation cascade have been proposed, resulting in both procoagulant and anticoagulant effects. Additionally, h2GPI has been implicated in the mechanism of recurrent fetal loss entailed in APS. Recently, using a homologous recombination approach, reproduction of mice homozygous for deletion of the b2GPI gene has been feasible. h2GPI knockout mice offer a valuable tool for revealing …

Fgf-2 Counteracts Loss Of Tgfβ Affected Cells From Rat Lens Explants: Implications For Pco (After Cataract), Kylie Mansfield, Anna Cerra, Coral Chamberlain

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Purpose: While cataract surgery initially benefits most patients, many suffer secondary loss of vision because of posterior capsule opacification (PCO). Lens epithelial cells left behind at surgery become aberrant and migrate into the light path. TGF-beta (TGFβ) appears to play a key role in this process by inducing the cells to undergo an epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Paradoxically, it also typically induces them to undergo apoptotic death. The present study was undertaken to investigate the hypothesis that FGF plays a role in PCO formation by promoting the survival of abnormal cells with PCO-like characteristics.

Methods: Rat lens epithelial explants were cultured for …

Beta-2 Glycoprotein1: Function In Health And Disease, Spyridon Miyakis, Bill Giannakopoulos, S A. Krilis

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Beta-2 glycoprotein I (β2GPI) is the principal target of autoantibodies in the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). It is abundant in human plasma and shares high homology between different mammalian species. Although the exact physiological function of β2GPI has not been fully elucidated, several interactions have been described with other proteins and with negatively charged surfaces, such as anionic phospholipids, dextran and heparin. β2GPI is involved in the coagulation pathway, exerting both procoagulant and anticoagulant activities. Plasma from β2GPI-deficient mice exhibits impaired thrombin generation in vitro. Recently, it has been demonstrated that β2GPI binds factor (F) XI in vitro at concentrations lower …