title: Desferrioxamine decreases NAD redox potential of intact red blood cells: evidence for desferrioxamine as an inducer of oxidant stress in red blood cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Desferrioxamine (DFO) is an important iron chelating agent. It has also been thought of as an agent with anti-oxidant potential as it chelates ferric iron in various parts of the body. However, there is evidence suggesting that it may paradoxically affect red blood cells (RBC) by inducing intracellular oxidant stress. To further understand the mechanism of DFO's interaction with RBC, we conducted a study to determine the effect of DFO upon RBC's redox status.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined NAD redox potential in intact RBC (N = 5) incubated with DFO. RBC were incubated with 6 mM DFO for 2 hours.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant decreases in NAD redox potential were observed after incubation of RBC with 6 mM DFO. The mean decrease was 10.01 PlusMinus; 1.98% (p < 0.0004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data confirm the oxidant effect of DFO on RBC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, UCLA School of Medicine, Torrance, California, USA. ysniihara@msn.com
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Niihara
authors.forename: Junli
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Oded
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Shalev
authors.forename: Huiyuan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.forename: Kouichi R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D003676:Deferoxamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009243:NAD / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D009243:NAD; D003676:Deferoxamine