2013-01-03
Welcome to the first issue of “This Week in Blood,” a weekly snapshot of the hottest studies from each week’s issue of Blood, the official journal of the American Society of Hematology (ASH), hand-picked by Blood Editor-in-Chief Bob Löwenberg, MD, and Deputy Editor Nancy Berliner, MD.
Early T-cell progenitors are the major granulocyte precursors in the adult mouse thymus, De Obaldia et al.
Using a number of different and complementary transgenic strategies, investigators are reexamining the controversial issue of the developmental potential of thymic early T-cell progenitor cells and demonstrate that thymic granulocytes share a common progenitor with T cells.
Immunotherapeutic strategies to prevent and treat human herpes virus (HHV) 6 reactivation post allogeneic stem cell transplant, Gerdemann et al.
This study represents a first step in the development of adoptive T-cell immunotherapy for human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), which causes substantial morbidity and mortality and currently has no approved therapy.
CD59 deficiency is associated with chronic hemolysis and childhood relapsing immune mediated polyneuropathy, Nevo et al.
This paper describes the discovery of the genetic mechanisms of a new disease in infants, hemolysis (premature destruction of red blood cells that can cause severe anemia), and relapsing demyelinating polyneuropathy (peripheral nerve damage that impairs the sensory function in the legs and arms), which are caused by a mutation of the gene that encodes the protein CD59.
Acute toxicities of unrelated bone marrow versus peripheral blood stem cell donation: results of a prospective trial from the NMD, Pulsipher et al.
The manuscript addresses the important issue of the risk to the unrelated donor of the method of stem cell collection (bone marrow vs. peripheral blood). The study suggests that a donor’s age, weight, or gender can affect the intensity and duration of post-donation side effects. In addition to the above manuscript, you can also read more about this work in a recent Blood press release.
Reporters who wish to receive a copy of any of the manuscripts highlighted above or would like to request an interview with the authors may contact Andrea Slesinski at 202-552-4927 or aslesinski@hematology.org.
Blood (www.bloodjournal.org), the most cited peer-reviewed publication in the field of hematology, is available weekly in print and online. Blood is the official journal of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) (www.hematology.org), the world’s largest professional society concerned with the causes and treatment of blood disorders.
ASH’s mission is to further the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders affecting blood, bone marrow, and the immunologic, hemostatic, and vascular systems by promoting research, clinical care, education, training, and advocacy in hematology.
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