The monovalent cation lithium partially exerts its effects by activating neurotrophic and neuroprotective cellular cascades. Here, we discuss the effects of lithium on oxidative stress, programmed cell death (apoptosis), inflammation, glial dysfunction, neurotrophic factor functioning, excitotoxicity, and mitochondrial stability. In particular, we review evidence demonstrating the action of lit...

The contribution of Arg(129) of the serpin, antithrombin, to the mechanism of allosteric activation of the protein by heparin was determined from the effect of mutating this residue to either His or Gln. R129H and R129Q antithrombins bound pentasaccharide and full-length heparins containing the antithrombin recognition sequence with similar large reductions in affinity ranging from 400- to 2500...

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a life-threatening, thrombotic disorder associated with development of anti-platelet factor 4 (anti-PF4)/heparin autoantibodies. Little is known about the antigenic and cellular requirements that initiate the immune response to these complexes. To begin to delineate mechanisms of autoantibody formation in HIT, we studied the immunizing effects of murine...

Two heparin-neutralizing proteins secreted by thrombin-stimulated platelets were purified to homogeneity by means of heparin-agarose affinity chromatography. These proteins, termed porcine platelet basic protein (PBP) and porcine platelet factor 4 (PF4), were eluted from a heparin-agarose column at 0.6-0.9 M NaCl and at 1-1.4 M NaCl, respectively. The molecular weight of porcine platelet basic ...