Agglutination of like-charged red blood cells induced by binding of beta2-glycoprotein I to outer cell surface.
Plasma protein-mediated attractive interaction between membranes of red blood cells (RBCs) and phospholipid vesicles was studied. It is shown that beta(2)-glycoprotein I (beta(2)-GPI) may induce RBC discocyte-echinocyte-spherocyte shape transformation and subsequent agglutination of RBCs. Based on the observed beta(2)-GPI-induced RBC cell shape transformation it is proposed that the hydrophobic portion of beta(2)-GPI molecule protrudes into the outer lipid layer of the RBC membrane and increases the area of this layer. It is also suggested that the observed agglutination of RBCs is at least partially driven by an attractive force which is of electrostatic origin and depends on the specific molecular shape and internal charge distribution of membrane-bound beta(2)-GPI molecules. The suggested beta(2)-GPI-induced attractive electrostatic interaction between like-charged RBC membrane surfaces is qualitatively explained by using a simple mathematical model within the functional density theory of the electric double layer, where the electrostatic attraction between the positively charged part of the first domains of bound beta(2)-GPI molecules and negatively charged glycocalyx of the adjacent RBC membrane is taken into account.
Lokar
Marusa
M
Laboratory of Physics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Trzaska 25, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Urbanija
Jasna
J
Frank
Mojca
M
Hägerstrand
Henry
H
Rozman
Blaz
B
Bobrowska-Hägerstrand
Malgorzata
M
Iglic
Ales
A
Kralj-Iglic
Veronika
V
D048430:Cell Shape / Q000187:drug effects; D048429:Cell Size / Q000187:drug effects; D004583:Electrons; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006384:Hemagglutination / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D011789:Quantum Theory; D013499:Surface Properties; D013816:Thermodynamics; D053482:beta 2-Glycoprotein I / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology
D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D053482:beta 2-Glycoprotein I