scholarly journals Sickle Cell Disease Complications

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 60-62
Author(s):  
Ersi Voskaridou

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited, lifelong condition. The sickle mutation consists a single nucleotide change (GAT->GTT) in the sixth codon of exon 1 of the β-globin gene coding for the β-globin polypeptide of hemoglobin (Hb) (a2β2). This change results in replacement of the wild type glutamic acid residue by a valine residue in β-globin chain and the formation of the sickle Hb (HbS) in homozygotes for this mutation. Heterozygotes live a normal life. In SCD patients, sickle erythrocytes are rigid with decreased deformability and reduced life span resulting in hemolysis, vaso-occlusive disease, vasculopathy and subsequent inflammation and end organ damage. Sickle cell disease affects millions of people worldwide. Today, with proper health care, many SCD patients have a good quality of life (QoL) and are in fairly good health most of the time. These people can live up to their forties or fifties, or longer. Despite the ‘common’ underlying genetic basis and a similar pathophysiology, patients with SCD present a highly variable clinical phenotype due to Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) variability throughout the genome. Patients with SCD are at high risk for developing multisystem acute and chronic complications associated with significant morbidity and mortality.

Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 115 (12) ◽  
pp. 2331-2332 ◽  
Author(s):  
James R. Eckman

In this issue of Blood, Voskaridou et al provide more compelling evidence that hydroxyurea improves survival in adults with severe sickle cell disease.1 This comes at the centennial of the recognition of sickle cell disease in Western medicine. Considerable progress has been made in understanding the pathophysiology of this complex disease caused by a single nucleotide change in the β-globin gene that causes replacement of glutamic acid by valine.


Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 296
Author(s):  
Rosa Vona ◽  
Nadia Maria Sposi ◽  
Lorenza Mattia ◽  
Lucrezia Gambardella ◽  
Elisabetta Straface ◽  
...  

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common hereditary disorder of hemoglobin (Hb), which affects approximately a million people worldwide. It is characterized by a single nucleotide substitution in the β-globin gene, leading to the production of abnormal sickle hemoglobin (HbS) with multi-system consequences. HbS polymerization is the primary event in SCD. Repeated polymerization and depolymerization of Hb causes oxidative stress that plays a key role in the pathophysiology of hemolysis, vessel occlusion and the following organ damage in sickle cell patients. For this reason, reactive oxidizing species and the (end)-products of their oxidative reactions have been proposed as markers of both tissue pro-oxidant status and disease severity. Although more studies are needed to clarify their role, antioxidant agents have been shown to be effective in reducing pathological consequences of the disease by preventing oxidative damage in SCD, i.e., by decreasing the oxidant formation or repairing the induced damage. An improved understanding of oxidative stress will lead to targeted antioxidant therapies that should prevent or delay the development of organ complications in this patient population.


2018 ◽  
Vol 315 (4) ◽  
pp. R840-R847 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Rivers ◽  
Ramasamy Jagadeeswaran ◽  
Donald Lavelle

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is caused by a mutation of the β-globin gene (Ingram VM. Nature 180: 326–328, 1957), which triggers the polymerization of deoxygenated sickle hemoglobin (HbS). Approximately 100,000 SCD patients in the United States and millions worldwide (Piel FB, et al. PLoS Med 10: e1001484, 2013) suffer from chronic hemolytic anemia, painful crises, multisystem organ damage, and reduced life expectancy (Rees DC, et al. Lancet 376: 2018–2031, 2010; Serjeant GR. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 3: a011783, 2013). Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation can be curative, but the majority of patients do not have a suitable donor (Talano JA, Cairo MS. Eur J Haematol 94: 391–399, 2015). Advanced gene-editing technologies also offer the possibility of a cure (Goodman MA, Malik P. Ther Adv Hematol 7: 302–315, 2016; Lettre G, Bauer DE. Lancet 387: 2554–2564, 2016), but the likelihood that these strategies can be mobilized to treat the large numbers of patients residing in developing countries is remote. A pharmacological treatment to increase fetal hemoglobin (HbF) as a therapy for SCD has been a long-sought goal, because increased levels of HbF (α2γ2) inhibit the polymerization of HbS (Poillin WN, et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 90: 5039–5043, 1993; Sunshine HR, et al. J Mol Biol 133: 435–467, 1979) and are associated with reduced symptoms and increased lifespan of SCD patients (Platt OS, et al. N Engl J Med 330: 1639–1644, 1994; Platt OS, et al. N Engl J Med 325: 11–16, 1991). Only two drugs, hydroxyurea and l-glutamine, are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for treatment of SCD. Hydroxyurea is ineffective at HbF induction in ~50% of patients (Charache S, et al. N Engl J Med 332: 1317–1322, 1995). While polymerization of HbS has been traditionally considered the driving force in the hemolysis of SCD, the excessive reactive oxygen species generated from red blood cells, with further amplification by intravascular hemolysis, also are a major contributor to SCD pathology. This review highlights a new class of drugs, lysine-specific demethylase (LSD1) inhibitors, that induce HbF and reduce reactive oxygen species.


Author(s):  
Rosa Vona ◽  
Nadia Maria Sposi ◽  
Lorenza Mattia ◽  
Lucrezia Gambardella ◽  
Elisabetta Straface ◽  
...  

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common hereditary disorder of hemoglobin (Hb) that affects approximately a millions people worldwide. It is characterized by a single nucleotide substitution on the β-globin gene, leading to the production of abnormal sickle hemoglobin with multi-system consequences. Mutated Hb leads to profound changes in: i) red blood cell metabolism and physiology; ii) endothelial signaling; and iii) immune response. Oxidative stress is an important hallmark of SCD. It plays a key role in the pathophysiology of hemolysis, vessel occlusion and the following organ damage in sickle cell patients. For this reason, reactive oxidizing species and the (end)-products of their oxidative reactions have been proposed as markers of both tissue pro-oxidant status and disease severity. Although more studies are needed to clarify their role, antioxidant agents have been shown to be effective in reducing pathological consequences of the disease by preventing oxidative damage in SCD, i.e. by decreasing the oxidant formation or repairing the induced damage. An improved understanding of oxidative stress will lead to targeted antioxidant therapies that should prevent or delay the development of organ complications in this patient population.


2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (16) ◽  
pp. 1795-1806 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellie H Jhun ◽  
Yingwei Yao ◽  
Ying He ◽  
A Kyle Mack ◽  
Diana J Wilkie ◽  
...  

Blood ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 987-987
Author(s):  
Chutima Kumkhaek ◽  
Christine Kim ◽  
James G. Taylor ◽  
Jianqiong Zhu ◽  
Wulin Aerbajinai ◽  
...  

Therapeutic induction of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) is one of the most promising approaches to ameliorate the severity of hemoglobinopathies such as β-thalassemia and sickle cell disease (SCD). Among HbF induction agents, hydroxyurea (HU) was approved by FDA to use for the treatment of SCD. However, there is variability in HU response among SCD patients. Individual genetic variants are mostly influenced in differences in pharmacological responsiveness to drug. We previously reported that the small guanosine triphosphate (GTP)-binding protein, secretion-associated and RAS-related (SAR1A) protein was a specific HU-inducible gene. The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in SAR1A promoter also contributed to inter-individual differences in regulation of HbF expression and SCD patient responses to HU. Additionally, microRNAs (miRNAs) have been identified as potential key genes that regulate HbF induction and related with the clinical heterogeneity of SCD. Here, we demonstrate that SNPs within SAR1A coding regions are associated with differences in individual responses to HU therapy and potentially influenced in miRNAs binding. In order to determine SNPs in SAR1A coding regions, we sequenced all 8 exons of SAR1A gene in 32 SCD patients. Three (rs56090714, rs3812693, rs56381518)and twenty-four (rs78341510, rs114346554, rs72807054, rs1370644731, rs1491135303, rs1412150420, rs1423653432, rs1480964347, rs1479076497, rs1180306451, rs1482823291, rs1275470720, rs201493587, rs1470556171, rs2394643, rs80028936, rs7919647, rs115340990, rs15801, rs1046747, rs79535872, rs7653, rs1280408553, and rs10586) variants were identified in codon 1 and 8, respectively. Interestingly, codon 2 was found a novel mutation at position 119, C>A. No mutation was detected in codon 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. Among these SNPs, rs7919647 at codon 8 was highest frequency (96.9%) in SCD patients. Next, we analyzed the association of SNPs and clinical and laboratory profiles using multiple regression. The rs56381518, rs1479076497, rs1180306451, rs1482823291, rs2394643 and rs115340990 showed significant association with total Hb levels after HU treatment in SCD patients. Only rs1180306451 was associated with absolute HbF levels (P= 0.0161). While no SNPs were observed significant association with HbF, F-cell or F-reticulocyte levels. In addition, the potential miRNAs binding to SNPs at 3'UTR regions were determined by using MicroSNiPer. We found miRNAs that may bind to SNPs as shown in Table 1. miR-625-5p, miR-5003-3p, miR-1236-5p, miR4271, miR-345-3p, miR4725-3p, miR-378a-3p, miR-548q and miR-135a-3p were previously identified only in mild-SCD patients. Furthermore, it has been reported that miR-1200 and miR-19b-1-5p were differentially expressed in high HbF levels condition. Our findings highlight the importance of genetic variants in SAR1A codon region that may predict the hydroxyurea response in SCD patients and miRNAs role in clinical heterogeneity of SCD. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (13) ◽  
pp. 1003-1011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellie H Jhun ◽  
Nilanjana Sadhu ◽  
Yingwei Yao ◽  
Ying He ◽  
Robert E Molokie ◽  
...  

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 1295-1324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin H. Steinberg

The root cause of sickle cell disease is a single β-globin gene mutation coding for the sickle β-hemoglobin chain. Sickle hemoglobin tetramers polymerize when deoxygenated, damaging the sickle erythrocyte. A multifaceted pathophysiology, triggered by erythrocyte injury induced by the sickle hemoglobin polymer, and encompassing more general cellular and tissue damage caused by hypoxia, oxidant damage, inflammation, abnormal intracellular interactions, and reduced nitric oxide bioavailability, sets off the events recognized clinically as sickle cell disease. This disease is a group of related disorders where sickle hemoglobin is the principal hemoglobin species. All have varying degrees of chronic hemolytic anemia, vasculopathy, vasoocclusive disease, acute and chronic organ damage, and shortened life span. Its complex pathophysiology, of which we have a reasonable understanding, provides multiple loci for potential therapeutic intervention.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayla Yalamanoglu ◽  
Irina L. Dubach ◽  
Nadja Schulthess ◽  
Giada Ingoglia ◽  
Delaney C. Swindle ◽  
...  

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited hemolytic disorder, defined by a point mutation in the β-globin gene. Stress conditions such as infection, inflammation, dehydration, and hypoxia trigger erythrocyte sickling. Sickled red blood cells (RBCs) hemolyze more rapidly, show impaired deformability, and increased adhesive properties to the endothelium. In a proinflammatory, pro-coagulative environment with preexisting endothelial dysfunction, sickled RBCs promote vascular occlusion. Hepatobiliary involvement related to the sickling process, such as an acute sickle hepatic crisis, is observed in about 10% of acute sickle cell crisis incidents. In mice, ligation of CD40 with an agonistic antibody leads to a macrophage activation in the liver, triggering a sequence of systemic inflammation, endothelial cell activation, thrombosis, and focal ischemia. We found that anti-CD40 antibody injection in sickle cell mice induces a systemic inflammatory and hemodynamic response with accelerated hemolysis, extensive vaso-occlusion, and large ischemic infarctions in the liver mimicking an acute hepatic crisis. Administration of the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) blocker, etanercept, and the heme scavenger protein, hemopexin attenuated end-organ damage. These data collectively suggest that anti-CD40 administration offers a novel acute liver crisis model in humanized sickle mice, allowing for evaluation of therapeutic proof-of-concept.


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