Progesterone upregulates GATA-1 on erythroid progenitors cells in liquid culture

Steroids hormones modify the hematological features of homozygous sickle cell disease, including the levels of fetal hemoglobin. We used semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis of GATA-1, GATA-2, NF-E2, and gamma-globin mRNA levels in a two-phase liquid culture system of human adult erythroid cells in order to assay the effect of progesterone upon gene expression. The levels of expression of GATA-1 and gamma-globin mRNA were significantly increased in cells treated with progesterone compared to untreated cells (1.7- to 2.0-fold). Progesterone treatment did not produce any stimulatory effect upon GATA-2 and NF-E2 mRNA expression. Differences in the synthesis of HbF protein could not be detected by flow cytometry, although we observed a small difference in mean intensity fluorescence between cells treated and cells untreated with progesterone on days 7 and 9. Using anti-transferrin receptor and anti-glycophorin A antibodies, we verified that addition of progesterone did not cause any change in erythroid proliferation and differentiation. In conclusion, it is possible that the increased expression of gamma-globin mRNA after progesterone treatment observed in this study may be related to the increased GATA-1 mRNA expression. Interactions of the steroid receptors with the basal transcriptional machinery and with transcription factors might mediate their transcriptional effects. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. (USA).

Approach toward an efficient inoculum preparation stage for suspension BHK-21 cell culture

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

How to progress from discourse to practice? a new agenda for change in medical schools into the next decade

In the context of medical school instruction, the segmented approach of a focus on specialties and excessive use of technology seem to hamper the development of the professional-patient relationship and an understanding of the ethics of this relationship. The real world presents complexities that require multiple approaches. Engagement in the community where health competence is developed allows extending the usefulness of what is learned. Health services are spaces where the relationship between theory and practice in health care are real and where the social role of the university can be revealed. Yet some competencies are still lacking and may require an explicit agenda to enact. Ten topics are presented for focus here: environmental awareness, involvement of students in medical school, social networks, interprofessional learning, new technologies for the management of care, virtual reality, working with errors, training in management for results, concept of leadership, and internationalization of schools. Potential barriers to this agenda are an underinvestment in ambulatory care infrastructure and community-based health care facilities, as well as in information technology offered at these facilities; an inflexible departmental culture; and an environment centered on a discipline-based medical curriculum.