Thrombosis Research Section Faculty

Faculty (Secondary Appointment)

PERUMAL THIAGARAJAN, M.D.

The major emphasis of our laboratory is to elucidate the mechanism of the hypercoagulable state associated with the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies. Patients with lupus and allied autoimmune disorder have antibodies that react with anionic phospholipid such as cardiolipin in immunological assays. Some of these antibodies also interfere with phospholipid-dependent coagulation tests and these are called lupus anticoagulant. The immunologic specificity of these antibodies is complex and ranges from anionic phospholipid to a complex of anionic phospholipid binding proteins such as b2 glycoprotein I, prothrombin or oxidized LDL. The presence of these antibodies is a strong risk factor for arterial, venous and microvascular thrombosis. We have developed epitope libraries from lymphocytes of hypercoagulable patients who make these antibodies. We isolate recombinant ScFv fragments and determine their epitope specificity. We utilize several in vitro coagulation assays and in vivo animal models of thrombosis to elucidate the mechanisms of this hypercoagulable state.

Recent Publications:

1. Gautam B, Cruz MA, Dong JF, McIntire L, Li F Thiagarajan P. Sulfatides Inhibit Platelet Adhesion to the von Willebrand Factor A1 Domain under in Flowing Blood Conditions. J Thrombosis Hemostasis. (In Press).

2. Francisca C. Gushiken, Anhqueyn Le, Frank C. Arnett and Thiagarajan P. 2003. Polymorphisms of b2-glycoprotein I: Phospholipid binding and multimeric structure. Thrombosis Research. (In Press)

3. Merten MD and Thiagarajan P. A role for Sulfatides in platelet aggregation. Circulation 2001;104:2955-60.

4. Merten MD, Dong JF, Lopez JA and Thiagarajan P. Cholesterol Sulfate: A new Adhesion molecule for Platelets. Circulation 2001;104:1876-7.

5. Kuang Sq, Hasham S, Phillips MD, Wolf D , Wan Y, Thiagarajan P and Milewicz D. Characterization of a novel autosomal dominant bleeding disorder in a large kindred from East Texas. Blood 2001;97:1549-54.

6. Merten MD Chou T, Hellum DA and Thiagarajan P. A new role for P-selectin in shear-induced aggregation Circulation 2000;102:2045-50.

7. Merten MD and Thiagarajan P. P selectin determines the size and stability of platelet aggregates. Circulation 2000;102:1931-6.

8. Thiagarajan P, Dannenbring R, Tramanatano A, Golobobov G. Paul S. A monoclonal light chain with prothrombinase activity. Biochemistry 2000;39: 6459-6465.

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©1995-2003 Baylor College of Medicine

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Email: medicine@bcm.tmc.edu
URL: http://public.bcm.tmc.edu/medicine/thiagarajan.htm (Modified: June 4, 2003)