CORE B - Hematology, Chemistry and Coagulation Core

SUMMARY Core B will provide essential support for the projects to achieve their specific aims while addressing the central hypothesis of the program project, which is that “protein glycosylation and glycoprotein remodeling alter the coagulopathy and inflammation of sepsis".Core B will analyze blood or plasma samples from mice, patients with sepsis, and healthy human volunteers generated from the projects to detect any changes in the cellular components (hematology), chemical composition (Chemistry), and hemostatic status (Coagulation) that may take place in different experimental or clinical conditions.Core B will use defined panels of assays as an efficient way to detect potentially significant changes in experimental versus control studies. These panels are: 1. Hematology: Complete blood count with white cell subsets (differential count) and microscopic examination of peripheral blood smears for cellular morphology; 2. Chemistry: serum electrolytes, total protein, IgG immunoglobulin, liver enzymes (AST, ALT, ALP), and optionally lipids (LDL, HDL, TG) to evaluate the overall functions of the liver, pancreas, and kidney, as well as the general metabolic status; 3. Hemostasis: von Willebrand antigen (primary hemostasis), PT, APTT, clotting factors II, V, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI and XII, fibrinogen, and D-dimer or FDPs (coagulation), protein C, protein S, and antithrombin (anticoagulation), and antiplasmin (fibrinolysis). Additional tests that have been standardized in Core B such as thrombin-antithrombin complex, heparin anticoagulant activities, plasma tissue factor, tissue factor pathway inhibitor, whole blood platelet aggregometry and whole blood thromboelastograph will be available to all projects as needed.During the past four years, Core B has successfully used this approach to generate data of significant import to the program including the identification of multiple differences in mouse and human blood comparing infections of discrete pathogens implicating potential undiscovered pathways of pathogenesis with the possibility of stratification of sepsis among both species. This proposal focuses on continuing to provide these hematological analyses of mouse and human blood and plasma samples in support of the specific aims of the projects.