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Inflammation may play an essential role in vaso-occlusion in sickle cell disease. Sickle patients have high white counts and elevated levels of serum C-reactive protein (CRP), cytokines, and adhesion molecules. In addition, circulating endothelial cells, leukocytes, and platelets are activated. We examined 4 transgenic mouse models expressing human α- and sickle β-globin genes to determine if they mimic the inflammatory response seen in patients. These mouse models are designated NY-S, Berk-S^Antilles, NY-S/S^Antilles (NY-S × Berk-S^Antilles), and Berk-S. The mean white counts were elevated 1.4- to 2.1-fold (P ≤ .01) in the Berk-S^Antilles, NY-S/S^Antilles, and Berk-S mice, but not in the NY-S mice compared with controls. Serum amyloid P-component (SAP), an acute-phase response protein with 60% to 70% sequence homology to CRP, was elevated 8.5- to 12.1-fold (P ≤ .001) in transgenic sickle …