Category: Blood

Hot Topics: Genetic Cause of Final Blood Group System Discovered

jackiewe Blood, Cardiology, Hot Topics in Research

Disruption of a GATA1-binding motif upstream of XG/PBDX abolishes Xga expression and resolves the Xg blood group system
Möller M, Lee YQ, Vidovic K, et al. Disruption of a GATA1-binding motif upstream of XG/PBDX abolishes Xga expression and resolves the Xg blood group system. Blood. 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.1182/blood-2018-03-842542.
The Xga blood group is differentially expressed on erythrocytes from males and females. The underlying gene, PBDX, was identified already in 1994 but the molecular background for Xga expression remains undefined. This gene, now designated XG, partly resides in the pseudoautosomal region 1 and encodes a protein of unknown function from the X chromosome. By comparing calculated Xgaallele frequencies in different populations to 2,612 genetic variants in the XG region, rs311103 showed the strongest correlation to the expected distribution. The same SNP had the most significant impact on XG transcript levels in whole blood (P=2.0×10-22). The minor allele, rs311103C, disrupts a GATA-binding motif 3.7 kb upstream of the transcription start point. This silences erythroid XG-mRNA expression and causes the Xg(a–) phenotype, a finding corroborated by SNP genotyping in 119 blood donors. Binding of GATA1 to biotinylated oligonucleotide probes with rs311103G but not rs311103C was observed by EMSA and proven by mass spectrometry. Finally, a luciferase reporter assay indicated this GATA motif to be active for rs311103G but not rs311103C in HEL cells. By using an integrated bioinformatics and molecular biology approach, we elucidated the underlying genetic basis for the last unresolved blood group system and made Xga genotyping possible.

Long-term benefits and risks of frontline nilotinib vs imatinib for chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase: 5-year update of the randomized ENESTnd trial

pjgrier Blood, Hot Topics in Research, Oncology

Long-term benefits and risks of frontline nilotinib vs imatinib for chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase: 5-year update of the randomized ENESTnd trial
In the phase 3 Evaluating Nilotinib Efficacy and Safety in Clinical Trials–Newly Diagnosed Patients (ENESTnd) study, nilotinib resulted in earlier and higher response rates and a lower risk of progression to accelerated phase/blast crisis (AP/BC) than imatinib in patients with newly diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase (CML-CP). Here, patients’ long-term outcomes in ENESTnd are evaluated after a minimum follow-up of 5 years. By 5 years, more than half of all patients in each nilotinib arm (300 mg twice daily, 54%; 400 mg twice daily, 52%) achieved a molecular response 4.5 (MR4.5; BCR-ABL ⩽0.0032% on the International Scale) compared with 31% of patients in the imatinib arm. A benefit of nilotinib was observed across all Sokal risk groups. Overall, safety results remained consistent with those from previous reports. Numerically more cardiovascular events (CVEs) occurred in patients receiving nilotinib vs imatinib, and elevations in blood cholesterol and glucose levels were also more frequent with nilotinib. In contrast to the high mortality rate associated with CML progression, few deaths in any arm were associated with CVEs, infections or pulmonary diseases. These long-term results support the positive benefit-risk profile of frontline nilotinib 300 mg twice daily in patients with CML-CP.
A Hochhaus, G Saglio, TP Hughes, RA Larson, D-W Kim, S Issaragrisil, PD le Coutre, G Etienne , PE Dorlhiac-Llacer, RE Clark, IW Flinn, H Nakamae, B Donohue, W Deng, D Dalal, HD Menssen and HM Kantarjian
Leukemia (2016) 30, 1044–1054; doi:10.1038/leu.2016.5

Antithrombotic Therapy for VTE Disease: CHEST Guideline and Expert Panel Report

pjgrier Blood, Hot Topics in Research, Lung, Research Commentary

Antithrombotic Therapy for VTE Disease: CHEST Guideline and Expert Panel Report
BACKGROUND: We update recommendations on 12 topics that were in the 9th edition of these guidelines, and address 3 new topics.
METHODS: We generate strong (Grade 1) and weak (Grade 2) recommendations based on high- (Grade A), moderate- (Grade B), and low- (Grade C) quality evidence.
RESULTS: For VTE and no cancer, as long-term anticoagulant therapy, we suggest dabigatran (Grade 2B), rivaroxaban (Grade 2B), apixaban (Grade 2B), or edoxaban (Grade 2B) over vitamin K antagonist (VKA) therapy, and suggest VKA therapy over low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH; Grade 2C). For VTE and cancer, we suggest LMWH over VKA (Grade 2B), dabigatran (Grade 2C), rivaroxaban (Grade 2C), apixaban (Grade 2C), or edoxaban (Grade 2C). We have not changed recommendations for who should stop anticoagulation at 3 months or receive extended therapy. For VTE treated with anticoagulants, we recommend against an inferior vena cava filter (Grade 1B). For DVT, we suggest not using compression stockings routinely to prevent PTS (Grade 2B). For subsegmental pulmonary embolism and no proximal DVT, we suggest clinical surveillance over anticoagulation with a low risk of recurrent VTE (Grade 2C), and anticoagulation over clinical surveillance with a high risk (Grade 2C). We suggest thrombolytic therapy for pulmonary embolism with hypotension (Grade 2B), and systemic therapy over catheter-directed thrombolysis (Grade 2C). For recurrent VTE on a non-LMWH anticoagulant, we suggest LMWH (Grade 2C); for recurrent VTE on LMWH, we suggest increasing the LMWH dose (Grade 2C).
CONCLUSIONS: Of 54 recommendations included in the 30 statements, 20 were strong and none was based on high-quality evidence, highlighting the need for further research.
 
CHEST 2016; 149(2):315-352
Clive Kearon, MD, PhD; Elie A. Akl, MD, MPH, PhD; Joseph Ornelas, PhD; Allen Blaivas, DO, FCCP; David Jimenez, MD, PhD, FCCP; Henri Bounameaux, MD; Menno Huisman, MD, PhD; Christopher S. King, MD, FCCP; Timothy A. Morris, MD, FCCP; Namita Sood, MD, FCCP; Scott M. Stevens, MD; Janine R. E. Vintch, MD, FCCP; Philip Wells, MD; Scott C. Woller, MD; and COL Lisa Moores, MD, FCCP