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Protective immunity to malaria and anti-erythrocyte autoimmunity.

The intraerythrocytic development of malaria parasites results in considerable modification and destruction of erythrocytes. This may lead to the breaking of tolerance such that immune recognition of 'self' or 'modified self' erythrocyte antigens by B or T lymphocytes occurs. Such recognition may be a vital factor in the induction of protective immunity even though it may also cause immunopathology. Serological and immunocytochemical assays have been used to demonstrate, in the serum of Plasmodium berghei-infected or immune rats, antibodies to isoantigenic determinants on infected erythrocytes. Absorption studies indicated that antigens specifically associated with parasitized erythrocytes and erythrocyte isoantigens were closely associated at the surface membrane. Extensive erythrocyte modification and destruction, artificially generated by phenylhydrazine treatment, significantly enhanced immunity against rodent malaria. In contrast, the generation of an incomplete anti-erythrocyte autoantibody response in mice by the injection of cross-reacting rat erythrocytes failed to augment protective responses to P. chabaudi. The reinjection of rat erythrocytes into mice previously injected with rat erythrocytes suppresses further autoantibody synthesis and the mice revert to the normal (Coombs-negative) state. Spleen cells from rat erythrocyte-treated mice transfer this suppression when injected into syngeneic recipients. Coombs-negative mice reinjected with rat erythrocytes failed to show enhanced protective responses to P. chabaudi. Spleen cells from such Coombs-negative mice, injected into sublethally irradiated recipients, increased the protective effects of concurrently transferred spleen cells from malaria-immune donors when the recipients were challenged with P. chabaudi.

Animals↗

Functional differences between B cell-depletion techniques in removing memory B cells. Relevance to anti-erythrocyte autoantibody-specific suppressor cells.

The efficiency of a number of B cell-depletion techniques was examined in a functional assay. CBA (Iga) mice were primed with rat erythrocytes and their spleen cells transferred, before and after B cell depletion, to mice of the allotype-congenic strain Igb. The recipients were challenged with rat erythrocytes and their anti-erythrocyte autoantibody response was measured together with the donor (Iga) and host (Igb) anti-rat erythrocyte antibody levels. Transferred unseparated cells suppressed erythrocyte autoantibodies and produced high levels of anti-rat erythrocyte antibodies. Transfer of panned, rosetted or nylon wool-passaged cells neither altered donor anti-rat erythrocyte antibody levels nor abrogated suppression. By contrast, passage of rat erythrocyte-primed B cells over Ig-anti-Ig-coated beads resulted in removal of donor rat-primed B cell activity and loss of suppressor cells. The B cell-depletion techniques were effective at removing B cells as judged by the reduced number of fluoresceinated anti-Ig-labeled cells among unbound cells although analysis on a fluorescein-activated cell sorter revealed that the most effective method was depletion on Ig-anti-Ig-coated beads. B cell depletion by panning removed the capacity of virgin but not primed cells to make adoptive antibody responses after transfer suggesting that the primed cells most efficient in adoptive transfer have a lower density of surface Ig than virgin cells. Treatment of donors with drugs which abrogated transferrable suppression of erythrocyte autoantibodies did not alter donor anti-rat erythrocyte antibody levels in recipients. It is considered that rat primed B cells are involved in the suppression of erythrocyte autoantibodies by acting as selective antigen-presenting cells for T suppressor inducer cells, rather than through an anti-rat erythrocyte antibody feedback mechanism.

Animals↗

Oxygen transport in thin layers of packed sickle erythrocytes.

A diffusion cell was used to examine the effect of HbS polymerization on the oxygen effective diffusivity, Deff, in packed sickle erythrocytes compared to that in packed normal erythrocytes at 25 degrees. In increasing PO2 experiments, the samples were fully oxygen saturated after a very brief transient. In decreasing PO2 experiments, the average oxygen tension decreased progressively over the time course of the experiment. At full oxygen saturation, Deff in the packed sickle erythrocyte samples was not significantly different from that in normal erythrocytes and was in agreement with prior workers' measurements of unfacilitated oxygen diffusion. Deff measured in the decreasing PO2 experiments on packed sickle erythrocytes was significantly different from that in normal erythrocytes. As the average oxygen tension decreased, Deff in packed normal erythrocytes increased to a maximum of 40% over its unfacilitated value and then decreased. In contrast, in sickle erythrocytes which contained over 90% HbS, as PO2 decreased, Deff increased only slightly and then decreased dramatically. The results of decreasing PO2 experiments on sickle erythrocytes containing significant amounts of other hemoglobins (HbF, HbC) were different from those of both the normal erythrocytes and sickle erythrocytes with dominant HbS fraction, showing the effect of hemoglobin composition on effective diffusivity. These results demonstrate a dramatic effect of HbS polymerization on the resistance to oxygen transport in sickle erythrocytes.

Anemia, Sickle Cell↗

Characterization of cyclosporine A uptake in human erythrocytes.

More than 70% of cyclosporine A (CsA) is bound to erythrocytes at whole blood concentrations of 50-1000 ng.ml-1. Cytosolic CsA is bound to the erythrocyte peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase cyclophilin. Measurements of serum CsA levels under clinical conditions are hampered by a temperature-dependent translocation of CsA into erythrocytes during cooling of the probes to room temperature. In order to characterize the kinetics of CsA uptake and to find a specific uptake inhibitor, we developed a method to measure the velocity of uptake based on rapid cooling of the erythrocyte suspension. The total erythrocyte-binding capacity for CsA amounted to 43 x 10(-5) nmol per 10(6) erythrocytes or 2.6 x 10(5) molecules per erythrocyte. Whereas the erythrocyte-binding capacity of CsA was temperature-independent between 10 degrees C and 42 degrees C, uptake kinetics of CsA were temperature-dependent. The Arrhenius plot for CsA uptake in human erythrocytes was linear and no transition temperature between 0 degree C and 42 degrees C could be detected. Therefore the CsA uptake process in human erythrocytes did not fulfil the criteria of carrier-mediated transport. This indicates that CsA diffuses passively into human erythrocytes. Hence, erythrocyte CsA uptake cannot be specifically inhibited.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

Interaction of the 140/130/110 kDa rhoptry protein complex of Plasmodium falciparum with the erythrocyte membrane and liposomes.

During Plasmodium falciparum merozoite invasion into human and mouse erythrocytes, a 110-kDa rhoptry protein is secreted from the organelle into the erythrocyte membrane. In the present study our interest was to examine the interaction of rhoptry proteins of P. falciparum with the erythrocyte membrane. It was observed that the complex of rhoptry proteins of 140/130/110 kDa bind directly to a trypsin sensitive site on intact mouse erythrocytes, and not human, saimiri, or other erythrocytes. However, when erythrocytes were disrupted by hypotonic lysis, rhoptry proteins of 140/130/110 kDa were found to bind to membranes and inside-out vesicles prepared from human, mouse, saimiri, rhesus, rat, and rabbit erythrocytes. A binding site on the cytoplasmic face of the erythrocyte membrane suggests that the rhoptry proteins may be translocated across the lipid bilayer during merozoite invasion. Furthermore, pretreatment of human erythrocytes with a specific peptide derived from MSA-1, the major P. falciparum merozoite surface antigen of MW 190,000-200,000, induced binding of the 140/130/110-kDa complex. The rhoptry proteins bound equally to normal human erythrocytes and erythrocytes treated with neuraminidase, trypsin, and chymotrypsin indicating the binding site was independent of glycophorin and other major surface proteins. The rhoptry protein complex also bound specifically to liposomes prepared from different types of phospholipids. Liposomes containing PE effectively block binding of the rhoptry proteins to mouse cells, suggesting that there are two binding sites on the mouse membrane for the 140/130/110-kDa complex, one protein and a second, possibly lipid in nature. The results of this study suggest that the 140/130/110 kDa protein complex may interact directly with sites in the lipid bilayer of the erythrocyte membrane.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Erythrocyte surface glycosylphosphatidyl inositol anchored receptor for the malaria parasite.

Parasitophorous vacuole formation is a critical step for the successful invasion of host erythrocytes by the malaria parasite. Rhoptry proteins are believed to have essential roles in vacuole formation, although their biological roles are poorly understood. To understand the molecular interactions between parasite rhoptry proteins and the erythrocyte during invasion, we have characterized the binding specificity of the high molecular mass rhoptry protein (RhopH) complex to erythrocytes using the rodent malaria parasite, Plasmodium yoelii. RhopH complex binding to erythrocytes was species-specific, observed with mouse but not rabbit or human erythrocytes. Binding is abolished following treatment of erythrocytes with trypsin or chymotrypsin. Because host cell cholesterol-rich membrane domains are recruited into the nascent parasitophorous vacuole, we evaluated a possible role of RhopH complex binding to the cholesterol-rich membrane domain-associated glycosylphosphatidyl inositol (GPI)-anchored protein. Using chimeric mice harboring GPI-deficient erythrocytes, RhopH complex binding to GPI-deficient mouse erythrocytes was undetectable, indicating involvement of GPI-anchored protein in PyRhopH complex binding. Furthermore, a significant reduction of P. yoelii parasite infection of GPI-deficient erythrocytes was observed in vivo, probably due to inefficient invasion. We conclude that the major erythrocyte receptor for PyRhopH complex is a protein attached to the erythrocyte surface via GPI-anchor and that GPI-deficient erythrocytes are resistant to P. yoelii invasion.

Animals↗

The effect of dietary treatment on erythrocyte lipid peroxidation, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and serum lipid peroxidation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of dietary treatment on serum and erythrocyte lipid peroxidation and erythrocyte antioxidative enzyme activity of patients with Type 2 diabetes. DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 30 patients with newly diagnosed as Type 2 diabetes were enrolled to the study. A total of 30 healthy subjects served as controls. Diabetic patients were given standard dietary treatment that was composed of 50% to 55% carbohydrate and 30% fat for 2 months. No diet was applied for controls. For both groups serum and erythrocyte lipid peroxidation and erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were obtained at first and at the end of 2 months. RESULTS: Diabetic patients had higher serum and erythrocyte lipid peroxidation than those of controls before dietary treatment(p < 0.05). However, there was no absolute differences in erythrocyte SOD and GSH-Px (p > 0.05). At the end of 2 months of dietary treatment, while diabetics had still higher glucose and erythrocyte lipid peroxidation than controls (p < 0.05), serum lipid peroxidation, erythrocyte SOD, and GSH-Px levels did not differ significantly from those of controls (p > 0.05). In diabetic patients, after 2 months of dietary treatment, whereas serum and erythrocyte lipid peroxidation decreased, erythrocyte SOD and GSH-Px activities showed significant increase (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed significant alteration in serum and erythrocyte lipid peroxidation and erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme status of patients with Type 2 diabetes by dietary treatment. However, whether such alterations have clinical importance for diabetic patients needs further investigation.

Adult↗

Raised erythrocyte polyamine levels in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus with great vessel disease and albuminuria.

Erythrocyte content of polyamines has been previously found increased in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus with microalbuminuria. Since increased urinary albumin excretion (AER) is associated with the presence of vascular diseases in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) the aim of this study was to verify the hypothesis that the presence of increased urinary albumin excretion (AER), and of macroangiopathy in NIDDM would be related to a significant modification in polyamine erythrocyte levels. The erythrocyte content of spermine and spermidine was measured by a HPLC method in 39 patients affected with NIDDM and in 24 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects, evaluating the relationship between erythrocyte polyamines of NIDDM patients with the presence of macroangiopathy as well as with retinopathy or increased AER (> or = 20 micrograms/ml). Both spermidine and spermine were not modified in the group of NIDDM patients while the presence of raised urinary AER was characterised by an increase in erythrocyte spermine (11 +/- 1.7 vs. 7.7 +/- 1.7 nmol/ml packed erythrocytes; P = 0.04) and spermidine (18.9 +/- 1.7 vs. 12.6 +/- 1.5 nmol/ml packed erythrocytes; P = 0.02), being both polyamines significantly related to AER and to metabolic control. Erythrocyte spermidine and spermine were moreover significantly higher in the group of patients with macroangiopathy (22.8 +/- 1.5 vs. 12.3 +/- 1.5 nmol/ml; P = 0.0001 and 11.5 +/- 1.7 vs. 7.8 +/- 1.7 nmol/l packed erythrocytes; P = 0.04) and being, moreover, erythrocyte spermidine augmented in patients with retinopathy (24.2 +/- 1.5 vs. 12.2 +/- 1.5 nmol/ml packed erythrocytes; P = 0.009). In conclusion the levels of erythrocyte spermine and spermidine are both associated with the presence of albuminuria and macroangiopathy in NIDDM, while spermidine is on the average increased in the group of diabetic patients with retinopathy.

Albuminuria↗

Assessment of iron status by erythrocyte ferritin in uremic patients with or without recombinant human erythropoietin therapy.

Erythrocyte ferritin may be a better estimator of iron bioavailability than the conventional markers of iron stores (serum ferritin and transferrin saturation). To investigate the accuracy of these conventional markers in uremic patients compared with erythrocyte ferritin, we studied 29 chronic hemodialysis patients on erythropoietin (EPO) therapy, 18 without EPO therapy, and 22 healthy control subjects. Apart from the red blood cell indices, serum ferritin, transferrin saturation, and erythrocyte ferritin, the analytical study included red blood cell protoporphyrin and plasma aluminum levels. The control group showed erythrocyte ferritin concentrations between 8.3 and 12.5 attograms/cell (95% confidence interval). In the EPO group, red blood cell protoporphyrin correlated negatively with erythrocyte ferritin, but not with serum ferritin or transferrin saturation. In the non-EPO group, serum ferritin, erythrocyte ferritin, and transferrin saturation did not correlate with red blood cell protoporphyrin. Even though erythrocyte ferritin correlated well with serum ferritin in the EPO group (r = 0.61, P = 0.0003), the sensitivity of normal serum ferritin levels (30 to 300 ng/mL) to discard a low erythrocyte ferritin concentration (erythrocyte ferritin less than 7 ag/cell) was 0.53, while the sensitivity of serum ferritin at levels less than 30 ng/mL to indicate an absolute iron deficiency expressed as a low erythrocyte ferritin concentration was 0.28. Only values of serum ferritin and transferrin saturation greater than 300 ng/mL and 35%, respectively, could rule out a relative iron deficiency expressed as a low erythrocyte ferritin and high red blood cell protoporphyrin concentration. Plasma aluminum levels did not correlate with red blood cell protoporphyrin or erythrocyte ferritin levels in either uremic group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Anemia, Hypochromic↗

Effects of erythrocytes and serum proteins on lung accumulation of lipoplexes containing cholesterol or DOPE as a helper lipid in the single-pass rat lung perfusion system.

Plasmid DNA-cationic liposome complexes (lipoplexes) accumulate in the lung to a great extent immediately after intravenous administration, and gene expression occurs predominantly in the lung. However, the detailed mechanisms underlying the lung accumulation of lipoplexes are not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the effect of blood components on the lung accumulation of lipoplexes using a single-pass rat lung perfusion system. Two types of lipoplexes, Chol-containing lipoplex ([(32)P]DNA-DOTMA/Chol liposome complex) and DOPE-containing lipoplex ([(32)P]DNA-DOTMA/DOPE liposome complex), pre-incubated with whole blood, serum, or erythrocytes, were injected into the perfused lung via an artery. Similarly to in vivo observations, extensive lung accumulation was observed for both types of lipoplexes after incubation with whole blood during a single passage. The (32)P-labeled lipoplexes pre-incubated with erythrocytes showed similar lung accumulation, whereas their lung accumulation after incubation with serum was significantly reduced, suggesting that erythrocytes would be more responsible blood components for extensive uptake by the perfused lung. However, there was a clear difference in the amounts of the accumulated erythrocytes after intra-arterial injection between the two lipoplex formulations. A significant degree of erythrocyte accumulation was observed when the DOPE-containing lipoplex was injected, whereas the Chol-containing lipoplex failed to induce any significant erythrocyte accumulation in the lung. In vitro experiments showed that the major fraction of both lipoplexes was bound to erythrocytes. These data suggested that Chol-containing lipoplexes bound to erythrocytes before injection dissociate from the erythrocytes and are transferred to the lung capillary endothelial cells during their passage through the lung. In contrast, DOPE-containing lipoplexes bound to erythrocytes cause aggregation and are embolized in the lung capillary with erythrocytes. Thus, the present study demonstrated that the interaction with erythrocytes plays an important role in the lung accumulation of lipoplexes and that neutral helper lipid significantly affects this interaction.

Animals↗

Erythrocytes-the 'house elves' of photodynamic therapy.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) and fluorescence diagnosis (FD) are being developed for a number of clinical applications. Since fluorophores and photosensitising drugs are usually given systemically their effect on blood elements are of significant importance. Photodynamic effects on erythrocytes occur naturally in patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP). Exposure to small fluences, as obtained by the erythrocytes when they pass capillaries in the skin, leads to transfer of the photosensitiser protoporphyrin IX (PP IX), from EPP erythrocytes to endothelial cells. Thus, the erythrocytes are partly protected while the endothelial cells suffer photodamage. During photodynamic therapy in vivo erythrocytes are regularly photosensitised. This side effect is partly intended but mostly unwanted, and a summary of this topic is given. Furthermore, the effect of UV-A on erythrocytes that is accompanied with the formation of bilirubin is reviewed. Erythrocytes serve as convenient model cells for experimental research. Such use of erythrocytes to screen new photosensitisers may be of limited value. A combination of photohaemolysis and haemoglobin oxygenation may become the basis for an assay for in vitro phototoxicity. Erythrocytes from birds are good model cells for exploration of physiological and molecular mechanisms involved in PDT. A potential mechanism of PDT induced behaviour resembling apoptosis in erythrocytes is provided.PDT for sterilisation of erythrocyte concentrates has a potential for medical use. Photodynamic effects on the erythrocytes themselves should be avoided. This is realised by choosing a virus-selective photosensitiser, low fluences and treatment of the concentrates with agents like dipyridamole and antioxidants. Future aspects of applications of photosensitisation of red blood cells are discussed.

Erythrocytes↗

Erythrocyte insulin binding in normal infants, children and adults.

To establish normal insulin binding criteria, we studied the binding of insulin to erythrocytes from normal subjects of different ages. Insulin binding to cord erythrocytes and to erythrocytes from infants aged 2-7 days was significantly higher at tracer and physiological insulin concentrations than was binding to cells from children aged 1-15 years and adults. In infants aged 1-12 months the maximum insulin binding to erythrocytes was significantly higher than that to erythrocytes from children, and in addition, it correlated negatively with age. An increase in receptor concentration was found in cord erythrocytes whereas an increased receptor affinity for insulin was found in erythrocytes from infants. Insulin binding characteristics in erythrocytes from prepubertal and pubertal children were basically similar to those in women. Erythrocytes from men bound significantly higher amounts of insulin than did those from women. This difference was associated with changes in receptor affinity for insulin. There was no correlation between the insulin binding characteristics and the circulating concentration of insulin or C-peptide. The increased erythrocyte insulin binding at birth persisted over the neonatal period. There was an overall negative correlation between the maximum insulin binding and age in the subjects studied, but the major decrease in erythrocytes insulin binding occurred during the first year of life past the neonatal period. These observations stress the importance of using age-matched controls in studies on erythrocyte insulin binding in disease states.

Adolescent↗

Plasmodium falciparum malaria. An amelanotic melanoma cell line bears receptors for the knob ligand on infected erythrocytes.

Erythrocytes infected with Plasmodium falciparum trophozoites and schizonts are not seen in the peripheral circulation because they attach to venular endothelium via knoblike structures on the infected erythrocyte membrane. We have recently shown that erythrocytes containing P. falciparum trophozoites and schizonts likewise attach to cultured human venous endothelial cells via knobs. In search of a more practical target cell for large scale binding studies designed to characterize and isolate the knob ligand, we tested various normal cells and continuous cell lines for their ability to bind P. falciparum-infected erythrocytes. Of the 18 cell types tested, binding of infected erythrocytes was observed to a human amelanotic melanoma cell line and amnion epithelial cells as well as to human aortic and umbilical vein endothelial cells. 96-100% of amelanotic melanoma cells bound 17+/-4 (+/-1 SEM) infected erythrocytes per positive cell, whereas fewer endothelial cells (4-59%) and amnion epithelial cells (8-19%) were capable of binding 12+/-5 and 4+/-1 infected erythrocytes per positive cell, respectively. Further studies designed to compare the mechanism of binding to the amelanotic melanoma cell line and endothelial cells showed the following results. First, that adhesion of infected erythrocytes to these two cell types was parasite stage-specific in that only erythrocytes containing late ring forms, trophozoites, and schizonts bound. Erythrocytes containing early ring forms, which do not attach to venular endothelium in vivo, did not bind to either cell type. Second, erythrocytes infected with trophozoites and schizonts of P. vivax or a knobless strain of P. falciparum, both of which continue to circulate in vivo, did not bind to either target cell type. Third, transmission electron microscopy showed that infected erythrocytes attached to the amelanotic melanoma cells via knobs. We conclude that cultured human endothelial cells and an amelanotic melanoma cell line share common determinants on their surface and that the mechanism of binding to these two different cell types is similar. The amelanotic melanoma cell line offers a useful substitute for endothelial cells in binding studies requiring large numbers of target cells.

Amnion↗

Abnormal regulation of Mg2+ transport via Na/Mg exchanger in sickle erythrocytes.

Erythrocyte magnesium (Mg2+) deficiency has been demonstrated in sickle cell disease to contribute to erythrocyte dehydration, K loss, and thus sickling. No studies have assessed the functional properties of the Na/Mg exchanger in sickle cell disease. Using Mg(2+)-loaded erythrocytes, we measured Mg2+ efflux induced by extracellular Na+. We estimated that the Na/Mg exchanger had higher maximal velocity, higher affinity for Na+, and lower cooperativity for Mg2+ in sickle than in normal erythrocytes. The activity of the exchanger was markedly decreased by hypotonic and hypertonic conditions in normal erythrocytes but not in sickle erythrocytes. Studies of density-separated erythrocytes showed that the activity of the exchanger decreased as the mean cellular hemoglobin concentration increased in normal but not in sickle erythrocytes. Inhibition of protein kinase C (PKC) activity by calphostin C and chelerythrine increased the activity of the exchanger in normal but not in sickle erythrocytes. Inhibition of serine/threonine phosphatases did not affect the activity of the exchanger in either normal or sickle erythrocytes. Altogether, these data indicate that the Na/Mg exchanger is abnormally regulated in sickle erythrocytes. Therefore, Mg2+ depletion in sickle erythrocytes might be mediated by an up-regulated Na/Mg exchanger, possibly by dephosphorylation of the transporter or a closely associated regulator.

Anemia, Sickle Cell↗

Lesch-Nyhan syndrome: the synthesis of inosine 5'-phosphate in the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase-deficient erythrocyte by alternate biochemical pathways.

Erythrocytes, obtained from a normal adult male and from a patient with Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, were incubated with [8-14C]adenine and [8-14C]hypoxanthine (Table 1). The labeled adenine was utilized to about the same extent for the synthesis of AMP by the normal subject's and the patient's erythrocytes. Deamination of AMP to IMP occurred to about the same extent in both samples. In contrast, hypoxanthine was utilized extensively for IMP synthesis in the normal erythrocyte only. The amount of total label in the IMP was about 100 times that of the Lesch-Nyhan erythrocyte, a consequence of the deficiency of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT) activity in the syndrome. No significant labeling of the AMP occurred. When aliquots of erythrocytes from both sources were incubated with 4-amino-5-imidazolecarboxamide (AICA) and sodium [14C]formate, extensive labeling of the IMP occurred in normal and in Lesch-Nyhan erythrocytes. The data suggest that AICA serves as a substrate for the adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) of the Lesch-Nyhan erythrocyte and that the ribotide of AICA, 5'-phosphoribosyl-5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide (AICAR), undergoes formylation by labeled N10-formyl tetrahydrofolic acid formed from the reaction of sodium [14C]formate with the tetrahydrofolic acid of the cell. The formyl-AICAR undergoes ring closure to IMP by a series of reactions comparable to those described for the normal erythrocyte. When 5-amino-1-ribosyl-4-imidazolecarboxamide (rAICA) and sodium [14C]formate were incubated with erythrocyte suspensions, extensive utilization for IMP synthesis was also observed in normal erythrocytes and in erythrocytes from Lesch-Nyhan patients (Table 2). The reaction sequence is somewhat different from that of AICA. AICA is not a substrate for the purine nucleoside phosphorylase of rabbit or human erythrocytes. The mechanism of rAICA utilization is visualized as a direct phosphorylation of the ribosyl compound, possibly by the adenosine kinase of the human cell. The ribotide, AICAR, formed by this mechanism, undergoes formylation and ring closure, yielding IMP. The glutamine antagonist, diazooxonorleucine (DON), was added to aliquots of patients' cells incubated with rAICA and sodium [14C]formate. DON is an effective inhibitor of the conversion of IMP to GMP and its presence in an incubation suspension resulted in a somewhat greater radioactivity of the total cellular IMP. The extension of the current studies to Lesch-Nyhan cells in culture may serve to assist in the direct evaluation of the regulatory role of IMP in the de novo pathway of purine nucleotide biosynthesis. Because of the substrate requirements of the reactions, the metabolism of AICA and rAICA may also serve to differentiate the roles of purine nucleotides and of phosphoribosylpyrophosphate (PRPP) in the pathway regulation. The findings presented also offer a possible therapeutic approach to the early treatment of the disease in the afflicted neonate...

Adenine Phosphoribosyltransferase↗

The effects and physiological consequences of raised levels of cortisol on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) erythrocyte beta-adrenoreceptors.

We have investigated the influence of cortisol on the beta-adrenoreceptor population of rainbow trout [Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum)] erythrocytes and determined what impact it has on the adrenergic responsiveness of erythrocytes in vitro to exogenous catecholamines. To do so, the erythrocyte beta-adrenoreceptors were characterized in fish with chronically elevated plasma cortisol levels (118 +/- 5.9 ng ml-1, greater than 10 days) and compared with shams, using radioreceptor assay techniques. The number of 'internalized', low-affinity receptors was increased when cortisol levels were raised, but the number of high-affinity, 'surface' receptors was not altered. The physiological significance of this response was ascertained by assessing the in vitro sensitivity (or responsiveness) of erythrocytes to adrenaline and noradrenaline (10-1000 nmol l-1) under normoxic (PO2 = 16.13 +/- 0.55 kPa, PCO2 = 0.41 +/- 0.01 kPa) or hypoxic (PO2 = 4.13 +/- 0.15 kPa, PCO2 = 0.43 +/- 0.01 kPa) conditions. Erythrocyte sensitivity to catecholamines, as determined by changes in both whole-blood pH (delta pHe) and intracellular cyclic AMP content, was greater in hypoxic than in normoxic blood. Although cortisol further enhanced the responsiveness of erythrocytes to catecholamines, this amplification in sensitivity was observed only during hypoxia. When the radioreceptor assay was conducted using erythrocytes from the catecholamine sensitivity experiments, results were consistent with initial receptor density data. An increase in surface receptor density was associated with hypoxia in vitro. This hypoxia-specific increase in surface beta-adrenoreceptors was significantly enhanced in the cortisol-treated erythrocytes, showing that cortisol had a significant impact on erythrocyte beta-adrenoreceptor dynamics in addition to the direct influence of hypoxia. This study has shown (1) that, by itself, in vitro hypoxia simultaneously initiates the movement of internal receptors to the cell surface, where they become physiologically active, and the replenishment of the internal receptor pool, (2) that cortisol increases receptor availability by increasing the internal pool of low-affinity receptors in the absence of any stimulus for receptor mobilization, and (3) that the sensitivity of erythrocytes to catecholamines is directly proportional to the number of high-affinity receptors present at the erythrocyte surface. Thus, we suggest that, under conditions of chronic stress, cortisol may pre-adapt the erythrocytes to receive additional physiological inputs that can ultimately enhance respiratory performance beyond that which would be possible in the absence of chronically elevated levels of cortisol.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗

Retrovirus-mediated over-expression of decay-accelerating factor rescues Crry-deficient erythrocytes from acute alternative pathway complement attack.

Decay-accelerating factor (DAF) and complement receptor 1-related gene/protein y (Crry) are two membrane-bound complement regulators on murine erythrocytes that inhibit C3/C5 convertases. Previously, we found that Crry- but not DAF-deficient erythrocytes were susceptible to alternative pathway complement-mediated elimination in vivo. To determine whether it is a unique activity or a higher level expression of Crry makes it indispensable on murine erythrocytes, we over-expressed DAF on Crry-deficient (Crry(-/-)) erythrocytes by retroviral vector-mediated DAF gene transduction of bone marrow stem cells. DAF retrovirus-transduced erythrocytes expressed 846 +/- 127 DAF molecules/cell (DAF(high)) compared with 249 +/- 94 DAF molecules/cell (DAF(low)) and 774 +/- 135 Crry molecules/cell on control mouse erythrocytes. DAF(high)-Crry(-/-) erythrocytes were significantly more resistant than either DAF(low)-Crry(-/-), DAF(-/-) -Crry(+/+) or wild-type erythrocytes to classical pathway complement-mediated C3 deposition in vitro. Furthermore, increased DAF expression rescued Crry(-/-) erythrocytes from acute alternative pathway complement attack in vivo. Notably, long term monitoring revealed that DAF(high)-Crry(-/-) erythrocytes were still more susceptible than wild-type erythrocytes to complement-mediated elimination as they had a shorter half-life in complement-sufficient mice but survived equally well in complement-deficient mice. These results suggest that both a high level expression and a more potent anti-alternative pathway complement activity of Crry contributed to its indispensable role on murine erythrocytes. Additionally, they demonstrate the feasibility of using stem cell gene therapy to correct membrane complement regulator deficiency on blood cells in vivo.

Animals↗

[Erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase isozymes in patients with iron deficiency anemia and their clinical significances (author's transl)].

The levels of erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase isozymes (CA-B and CA-C) were determined by a quantitative immunochemical technique in order to elucidate their clinical significances in patients with iron deficiency anemia. The specific antibodies against rabbit CA-B and CA-C were also obtained, and the levels of rabbit erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase B and C isozymes were assayed immunochemically in experimental hemolytic and bleeding anemia. Simultaneously carbonic anhydrase isozymes were synthesized in vitro using rabbit reticulocyte-lysate. 1 The levels of erythrocyte CA-B per gram hemoglobin, CA-B per ml erythrocyte and CA-C per gram hemoglobin all increased but CA-C per ml erythrocyte did not increased in iron deficiency anemia. Erythrocyte CA-B and CA-C expressed per gram hemoglobin were inversely correlated to hemoglobin levels. 2 In experimental bleeding anemia and hemolytic anemia of rabbits, erythrocyte CA-B increased with the progression of anemia and with increase in reticulocyte count. However the levels of CA-C did not increased with progression of anemia. 3 In experimental bleeding anemia, it was found that the level of erythrocyte CA-B was correlated to the esterase activity and erythrocyte zinc content. 4 Most of the rabbit erythrocyte CA-B was distributed in younger erythrocytes. 5 It was confirmed that CA isozymes were synthesized in rabbit reticulocyte-lysate. The content of CA-B synthesized in lysates was much higher than that of CA-C. 6 In iron deficiency anemia, the increase of erythrocyte CA is speculated to be compensatory mechanism, which brought about the transportation of CO2 and right shifts of O2 dissociation curve.

Adolescent↗