Red blood cell vesicles in thalassemia.
Vesicles are part of the red blood cells membrane which can be found in a small number in normal apoptotic process and increased in some diseases. In the present study, the authors measured the percentage of red blood cell vesicles in healthy subjects (n = 7), patients with alpha-thalassemia or Hemoglobin (Hb) H disease (n = 7), beta-thal/Hb E with nonsplenectomized (n = 5) and splenectomized (n = 7) before and after induction heated at 48.6 degrees C by using flow cytometry. It was found that the percentage of vesicles in every group were not statistically significantly different (p > 0.05) between pre and post incubation at 5 min. The percentage of vesicles of healthy subjects, beta-thal/Hb E nonsplenectomized patients and splenectomized patients were highest when induced by heating for 60 min. For patients with Hb H disease, the percentage of vesicles was maximum at 30 min when compared with healthy subjects, beta-thal/Hb E nonsplenectomized patients and splenectomized patients, respectively. In the present study, the authors report the significant increase of the percentage of vesicles in Hb H disease, beta-thal/Hb E nonsplenectomized and splenectomized after induction by heat when compared with healthy subjects. These findings may support the different pathology of the red blood cells found in alpha- and beta-thalassemia.
Lamchiagdhase
Pornvaree
P
Department of Clinical Microscopy, Faculty of Medical Technology, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand.
Nitipongwanich
Rumaneeya
R
Rattanapong
Chitsinee
C
Noulsri
Egarit
E
Lerdwana
Surada
S
Pattanapanyasat
Kovit
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013156:Splenectomy; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013347:Subcellular Fractions; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000097:blood*