There are important questions concerning sickle cell disease which cannot be explained by the well-known property of gel formation of deoxygenated sickle hemoglobin. The sequence of events leading to vaso-occlusive crises has not yet been defined. Complete details of the molecular mechanism of red cell sickling and a method for preventing sickle cell crises have not yet been established. In addition, specific drugs have not yet become available to prevent sickling. We have investigated these problems using various new biochemical and biophysical techniques including the turbidimetric method for studying the kinetics of the polymerization of sickle and non-sickle hemoglobins in concentrated phosphate buffer, a new method for the accurate measurement of the solubility of hemoglobin, the spin-label method, the mechanical shake method, and the use of an automatic apparatus to measure oxygen equilibrium curves of red cell suspensions. We have also measured the amount of denatured hemoglobin inside erythrocytes. Much progress has been made in studies on the mechanism of the gelation of sickle hemoglobin. Using this method, we found that non-sickle hemoglobins such as Hb A and Hb F polymerize in a manner similar to that of Hb S. We have also screened several potential anti-sickling agents that prevented red cell sickling in vitro. The molecular mechanism of the effect of these drugs was investigated thoroughly.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HL020750-09
Application #
3336245
Study Section
Hematology Subcommittee 2 (HEM)
Project Start
1983-04-01
Project End
1988-03-31
Budget Start
1986-04-01
Budget End
1987-03-31
Support Year
9
Fiscal Year
1986
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Department
Type
DUNS #
073757627
City
Philadelphia
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
19104
Thompson, A A; Cornelius, A S; Asakura, T et al. (1993) Comparative studies of phenothiazine derivatives for their effects on swelling of normal and sickle erythrocytes. Gen Pharmacol 24:999-1006
Horiuchi, K; Ballas, S K; Asakura, T (1988) The effect of deoxygenation rate on the formation of irreversibly sickled cells. Blood 71:46-51
Adachi, K; Kim, J Y; Asakura, T (1988) Effects of differences in charge and hydrophobicity of surface amino acids of hemoglobins on high-performance gel-permeation chromatography. J Chromatogr 428:247-54
Adachi, K; Kim, J; Ballas, S et al. (1988) Facilitation of Hb S polymerization by the substitution of Glu for Gln at beta 121. J Biol Chem 263:5607-10
Horiuchi, K; Asakura, T (1987) Formation of light irreversibly sickled cells. Prog Clin Biol Res 240:217-27
Horiuchi, K; Asakura, T (1987) Formation of light irreversibly sickled cells during deoxygenation-oxygenation cycles. J Lab Clin Med 110:653-60
Adachi, K; Kim, J; Travitz, R et al. (1987) Effect of amino acid at the beta 6 position on surface hydrophobicity, stability, solubility, and the kinetics of polymerization of hemoglobin. Comparisons among Hb A (Glu beta 6), Hb C (Lys beta 6), Hb Machida (Gln beta 6), and Hb S (Val beta 6). J Biol Chem 262:12920-5
Adachi, K; Kim, J; Kinney, T R et al. (1987) Effect of the beta 73 amino acid on the hydrophobicity, solubility, and the kinetics of polymerization of deoxyhemoglobin S. J Biol Chem 262:10470-4
Adachi, K; Asakura, T (1987) Separation of asymmetrical hybrid hemoglobins by hydrophobic interaction chromatography. J Chromatogr 419:303-7
Anbari, M; Asakura, T (1986) Demonstration of intermediates between deoxy and carbonmonoxy hemoglobins by anaerobic high-performance liquid chromatography. FEBS Lett 206:253-6

Showing the most recent 10 out of 15 publications