title: Cellular properties of human erythrocytes preserved in saline-adenine-glucose-mannitol in the presence of L-carnitine.
abstract: L-Carnitine (LC) in the preservation medium during storage of red blood cells (RBC) can improve the mean 24-hr percent recovery in vivo and increase RBC life-span after reinfusion. The purpose of the study was to investigate the differences in the biochemical properties of RBCs stored in the presence or absence of LC, and the cell-age related responses to storage conditions and to LC. RBC concentrates in saline-adenine-glucose-mannitol (SAG-M) were stored in the presence or absence of 5 mM LC at 4 degrees C for up to 8 weeks. RBC subpopulations of different densities were prepared by centrifugation on Stractan density gradient. Cells were sampled at 0, 3, 6, and 8 weeks, and hematological and cellular properties analyzed (MCV, MCHC, 4.1a/4.1b ratio as a cell age parameter, intracellular Na(+) and K(+)). After 6 weeks, MCV of RBC stored in the presence of LC was lower than that of controls (6 weeks MCV: controls 95.4 +/- 1.8 fl; LC 91.5 +/- 2.0 fl; n = 6; P < 0.005). This was due to swelling of control cells, and affected mainly older RBCs. LC appeared to reduce or retard cell swelling. Among the osmotically active substances whose changes during storage could contribute to cell swelling, only intracellular Na(+) and K(+) differed between stored control RBCs and LC-treated cells. LC reduces the swelling of older cells during storage at 4 degrees C in SAG-M, possibly by acting on the permeability of cell membrane to monovalent cations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Research and Development, Iperboreal Pharma S.r.l., Chieti, Italy. a.arduini@iperboreal-pharma.com
authors.forename: Arduino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arduini
authors.forename: Giampaolo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Minetti
authors.forename: Annarita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciana
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Seppi
authors.forename: Augusta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brovelli
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Profumo
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vercellati
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zappa
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zanella
authors.forename: Secondo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dottori
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bonomini
mesh_terms: D000225:Adenine / Q000737:chemistry*; D001793:Blood Preservation; D002331:Carnitine / Q000737:chemistry*; D002414:Cations, Monovalent / Q000378:metabolism; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D004905:Erythrocyte Aging; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005947:Glucose / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008353:Mannitol / Q000737:chemistry*; D009995:Osmosis; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002414:Cations, Monovalent; D008353:Mannitol; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D012964:Sodium; D005947:Glucose; D000225:Adenine; D011188:Potassium; D002331:Carnitine