title: Beneficial effect of transfusion with low-affinity red blood cells in endotoxemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sepsis caused by endotoxins such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) impairs the microcirculation, diminishing tissue blood supply and aggravates systemic hypoxia. A novel lower-affinity hemoglobin (Hb) variant, Hb Presbyterian, enhances oxygen release to peripheral tissues and may improve tissue oxygen supply during sepsis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study investigated the effectiveness of Presbyterian Hb in transfusion therapy with LPS-challenged sepsis mouse model. Septic wild-type mice were transfused with RBCs from Presbyterian Hb-carrying mutant mice and wild-type mice. Their survival rates were assessed, and apoptosis of hepatocytes was evaluated. Survival rates of septic Presbyterian mutant mice and the wild-type littermates were also studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Presbyterian mutant RBC-transfused septic group survived longer than the wild-type RBC-transfused group. Apoptosis was reduced in the hepatocytes of the former group. Presbyterian mutant mice themselves, however, did not have stronger resistance to LPS-induced sepsis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transfusion of low-affinity Hb-containing RBCs has beneficial effects in septic mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Hidetoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nojiri
authors.forename: Takahiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Takuji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shirasawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D019446:Endotoxemia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D006455:Hemoglobins, Abnormal / Q000235:genetics*; D022781:Hepatocytes; D006801:Humans; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D006455:Hemoglobins, Abnormal; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; C017361:hemoglobin Presbyterian; D010100:Oxygen