title: Non-classical processes in surface hemostasis: mechanisms for the poly-N-acetyl glucosamine-induced alteration of red blood cell morphology and surface prothrombogenicity.
abstract: It is well established that platelets and the intrinsic plasma coagulation pathway can be activated when blood contacts artificial surfaces. Experiments were performed to assess the effect of hemostatic poly-N-acetyl glucosamine (pGlcNAc) nanofibers on red blood cells. The pGlcNAc nanofibers, isolated from a marine diatom, interact with red blood cells (RBCs) to produce stomatocytes. The stomatocytes could be converted to echinocytes by treatment with echinocytic reagents, as measured by electron microscopy. Electrophoretic and Western blot analysis of RBC surface proteins demonstrated that pGlcNAc fibers were bound to band 3 of the RBC. An important and unique result of the interaction of RBCs with pGlcNAc fibers was the activation of the intrinsic coagulation cascade. This prothrombotic effect was associated with the presentation of phosphatidylserine on the outer layer of the surface membrane of nanofiber bound RBCs. The results demonstrate that RBCs can play a direct and important role in achieving surface hemostasis by accelerating the generation of thrombin, and add to the growing body of evidence that RBCs can strongly interact with hemostatic systems.
authors.affiliation: Francis Owen Blood Research Laboratory, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, 125 University Lake Dr., CB# 3114, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: C Robert
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Valeri
authors.forename: Carr J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Scull
authors.forename: Elizabeth P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Merricks
authors.forename: Timothy C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Nichols
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Demcheva
authors.forename: John N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Vournakis
mesh_terms: D000117:Acetylglucosamine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006487:Hemostasis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006490:Hemostatics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D013499:Surface Properties; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D006490:Hemostatics; C113831:poly-N-acetyl glucosamine; D000117:Acetylglucosamine