Cord blood

A typical electrospray analysis can be completed in 15 min with as little as 1 pmol of protein. An analysis of the cord blood of a baby (Figure 40.6) showed quite clearly that five globins were present, viz., the normal ones (a, (3, Gy, and Ay) and a sickle-cell variant (sickle (3). The last one is easily revealed in the mass spectrum, even at a level of only 4% in the blood analyzed. 

Environmental exposures to PCBs are significantly lower than those reported in the workplace and are therefore unlikely to cause adverse human health effects in adults. However, it is apparent from the results of several recent studies on children that there was a correlation between in utero exposure to PCBs, eg, cord blood levels, and developmental deficits (65—68) including reduced bkth weight, neonatal behavior anomaUes, and poorer recognition memories. At four years of age, there was stiU a correlation between prenatal PCB exposure levels and short-term memory function (verbal and quantitative). In these studies the children were all exposed to relatively low environmental levels of PCBs. Although these effects may be related to other contaminants, it is clear that this is an area of concern regarding the potential adverse human health impacts of PCBs. 

Cellular therapies in transplantation and cancer are based on specific cells separated or sorted from human blood, bone marrow, or cord blood by means of their specific cell surface markers or cell differentiation antigens, e.g., CD3, CD4, CD8, CD 14, CD 19, and CD34. For example, the CD34+ stem cells, especially those derived from human embryos, have the capacity to differentiate in culture to generate different somatic cells, e.g., liver cells, heart cells, neurons, etc. This exploding field of research is now termed regenerative medicine. 

Fischer, H.P., Sharrock, C.E.. Panayi, G.S. (1992). High frequency of cord blood lymphocytes against mycobacterial 65 kD heat shock protein. Eur. J. Immunol. 22, 1667-1669. 

Y-chains which differ from the 3-chalns In 39 positions The formula of Hb-F can be written as a2Y2 A minor hemoglobin fraction, Hb-Fi, which Is present for about 7 to 10 percent In a cord blood sample, has the structure of U2Y2 y Indicating that the NH2 terminal glycyl residue of the y-chaln Is acetylated Recently the existence of two structurally different Y-chalns has been demonstrated these two chains (the -and differ at a minimum In one position, namely... 

The detection of abnormal hemoglobins In cord blood samples Is usually made with electrophoretic procedures. Four types of hemoglobin variants can be present, namely y-chaln variants, 3-chaln variants, and Hb-Bart s or yif Indicating some form of a-chaln deficiency or a-thalassemla. 

Figure 9. Chromatograms of cord blood with the indicated conditions on 0,5 X 6 cm columns of CM-ceUuhse, The left-hand member of each pair shows the result after completion of chromatography with Developer A. The right-hand member shows the added movement that occurs with subsequent use of Developer B and thereby distinguishes Hb-S and Hb-C (28).

Most experience is with HLA-matched donors umbilical cord blood transplantation is being evaluated... 

Experience with HSCT in adult patients with SCD is very limited. Umbilical cord blood and hematopoietic cells from nonmatched donors are alternatives, but use is limited.6,33... 

Umbilical cord blood, peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC) and bone marrow can serve as the source of hematopoietic cells. The optimal cell source differs based on the donor and recipient characteristics but has not been clearly identified for all patients. 

The type of HCT performed depends on a number of factors, including type and status of disease, availability of a compatible donor, patient age, performance status, and organ function. In addition to bone marrow, hematopoietic cells may be obtained from the peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPCs) and umbilical cord blood. The essential properties of the hematopoietic cells are their ability to engraft, the speed of engraftment, and the durability of engraftment.1... 

Transplant with umbilical cord blood (UCB) offers an alternative stem cell source to patients who do not have an acceptable matched related or unrelated donor. When allogeneic hematopoietic cells are obtained from UCB, the cord blood is obtained from a consenting donor in the delivery room after birth and delivery of the placenta.32 The cord blood then is processed, a sample is sent for HLA typing, and the cord blood... 

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation A transplantation of hematopoietic (blood-forming) bone marrow, peripheral blood, or umbilical cord blood involving one person as a donor and another person as a recipient. 

Christopherson KW 2nd, Hangoc G, Broxmeyer HE. Cell surface peptidase CD26/ dipeptidylpeptidase IV regulates CXCL12/stromal cell-derived factor-1 alpha-mediated chemotaxis of human cord blood CD34+ progenitor cells. J Immunol 2002 169(12) 7000-7008. 

From pilot studies carried out in the clinic with the NNRTIs TIBO R82913 [75] and pyridinone L-697,661 [76], it appears that the compounds are well tolerated and do not cause toxic side effects. Most of the HIV-1 isolates obtained from the patients treated with TIBO R82913 appeared to be as sensitive to the compound as wild-type virus only two HIV-1 variants were isolated, showing a sensitivity that was reduced 20-fold or more than 100-fold, the latter being caused by a mutation (Tyr —> Leu) at position 188 of the RT [77]. In fact, the latter mutation was lost upon passaging the virus in vitro in cord blood lymphocytes. Following treatment of the patients with pyridinone L-697,661, drug-resistant HIV-1 variants appeared that contained mutations at the RT positions 103 (Lys —> Asn) and 181 (Tyr —> Cys) [76]. 

General population studies indicate that the activity of ALAD is inhibited at very low PbB levels, with no threshold yet apparent. ALAD activity was inversely correlated with PbB levels over the entire range of 3-34 pg/dL in urban subjects never exposed occupationally (Hemberg and Nikkanen 1970). Other reports have confirmed the correlation and apparent lack of threshold in different age groups and exposure categories (children—Chisolm et al. 1985 children—Roels and Lauwerys 1987 adults—Roels et al. 1976). Inverse correlations between PbB levels and ALAD activity were found in mothers (at delivery) and their newborns (cord blood). PbB levels ranged from approximately 3 to 30 g/dL (Lauwerys et al. 1978). 

In most of these studies, prenatal exposure was generally estimated through maternal and/or cord blood lead concentrations. Exposure of the mothers can be assumed to have been primarily through the oral route, but with contribution from the inhalation route as well. The most relevant studies are discussed below, along with results from a few investigations of different markers for lead exposure. 

A later analysis (Emhart et al. 1987) related PbB levels obtained at delivery (maternal and cord blood) and at 6 months, 2 years, and 3 years of age to developmental tests (MDI, PDI, Kent Infant Development Scale [KID], and Stanford-Binet IQ) administered at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years of age, as appropriate. After controlling for covariates and confounding risk factors, the only significant associations of blood lead with concurrent or later development were an inverse association between maternal (but not cord) blood lead and MDI, PDI, and KID at 6 months, and a positive association between 6-month PbB and 6-month KID. The investigators concluded that, taken as a whole, the results of the 21 analyses of correlation between blood lead and developmental test scores were "reasonably consistent with what might be expected on the basis of sampling variability," that any association of blood lead level with measures of development was likely to be due to the dependence of both PbB and... 

Transplacental transfer of lead in humans has been demonstrated in a number of studies, and lead has been identified in umbilical cord blood. In the work of Bellinger et al. (1987a), the mean lead concentration in umbilical cord blood from a sample size of 11,000 women was 6.6 3.2 pg/dL. In a study of 236 pregnant women in Glasgow, Scotland, the geometric mean PbB levels were 14 pg/dL for... 

Needleman et al. 1984). The limitations of these studies include possible bias introduced by use of hospital records and a restricted range of maternal and cord blood lead levels. The sizes of the groups studied were not sufficient for the detection of differences in low frequencies of anomalies. 

Lead concentrations in maternal and umbilical cord blood have been reported by Greek researchers for 50 parturient women at delivery. Twenty-five of the women lived in industrial areas with high air pollution, and twenty-five lived in agricultural areas with low air pollution. The mean lead concentrations (expressed as mean standard deviation) for the women living in areas with high air pollution were 37.2 4.7 pg/L in maternal blood and 20 3.4 pg/L in umbilical cord blood (correlation coefficient, r = 0.57). The mean lead concentrations for the women living in areas with low air pollution were 20.5 5.6 pg/L in maternal blood and 12.9 3.6 pg/L in umbilical cord blood (correlation coefficient, r = 0.70). The authors conclude that the placenta demonstrates a dynamic protective function that is amplified when maternal PbB levels are raised (Vasilios et al. 1997). 

Concentrations of lead in umbilical cord blood of two groups of women giving birth in a Boston Hospital in 1980 and 1990 have also been reported. Mean lead concentration of umbilical cord blood was 6.56 3.19 pg/dL forthe 1980 group and 1.19 1.32 pg/dL forthe 1990 group (Hu etal. 1996). 

In a study of blood samples collected from 113 mothers of 23 different nationalities and from their neonates (cord blood), mean maternal PbB levels were 14.9 2.14 pg/dL (range, 6.6-27.8 pg/dL) and mean cord PbB levels were 13 2.5 pg/dL(range, 6.0-30 pg/dL). Sixteen percent of mothers and nearly 10% of cord blood samples had PbB levels >20 pg/dL (A1 Khayat et al. 1997b). 

A1 Khayat A, Habibullah J, Koutouby A, et al. 1997b. Correlation between maternal and cord blood lead levels. International Journal of Environmental Health Research 7(4) 323-328. 

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