title: Potassium loss and cellular dehydration of stored erythrocytes following incubation in autologous plasma: role of the KCl cotransport system.
abstract: We studied the regulation of cell volume and cation content in erythrocytes stored at 4 degrees C under blood bank conditions for various lengths of time and subsequently incubated in autologous plasma at 37 degrees C for 4 or 24 h. Cell swelled during storage at 4 degrees C whereas marked K+ loss and cell shrinkage were observed when erythrocytes were incubated at 37 degrees C in autologous plasma. The cell shrinkage was inhibited only by the K+ Cl- cotransport-specific inhibitor, [(dihydroindenyl)oxy] alkanoic acid, and not by other specific inhibitors of cation transport systems such as ouabain (Na(+)-K+ ATPase pump), bumetanide (Na(+)-K(+)-Cl- cotransport) or carbocyanine (Ca+(+)-activated K+ channel). Acidification and swelling of the erythrocytes are well known to be able to activate the K+ Cl cotransport; such conditions, which were demonstrated to occur during the storage, could lead to activation of the K+ Cl- cotransport in reinfused cells. These data strongly support the evidence that K+ Cl- cotransport plays a role in K+ loss and dehydration of stored erythrocytes, when incubated in autologous plasma.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Pathology, Polyclinic Borgo Roma, University of Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Olivieri
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: de Franceschi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Gironcoli
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Girelli
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Corrocher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000502:physiology; D001793:Blood Preservation; D002412:Cations / Q000097:blood; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood*; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D002412:Cations; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D011188:Potassium