title: Does carbonyl stress cause increased blood viscosity during storage?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The structural and biochemical changes to erythrocytes during storage, called 'storage lesion', are important factors that contribute to decreases in the efficacy and safety of blood transfusions. However, the biochemical mechanisms are only partly understood.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fresh whole blood in citrate phosphate dextrose anticoagulant was preserved in storage bags at 1-4 degrees C for over 20 days. Aliquots of stored blood were withdrawn for analysis at the 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th day of storage. Whole blood viscosity, plasma reactive carbonyl species, erythrocyte membrane protein carbonylation, protein (tryptophan) fluorescence and the contents of thiols were quantified concurrently.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant increases in blood viscosity and plasma reactive carbonyl species level during storage. There were significant time-dependent increases in membrane protein carbonylation, increases in protein (tryptophan) fluorescence and a decrease in the content of thiols.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reactive carbonyl species, by attacking the amino and/or sulfhydryl groups of erythrocyte membrane proteins, induce a series of structural alterations in erythrocytes. These lead to an increase in blood viscosity and reduce the efficacy and safety of storage and transfusion.
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China. hnsdlgl@hunnu.edu.cn
authors.forename: Guolin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Han
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Qiong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Dazhong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yin
mesh_terms: D001769:Blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D001793:Blood Preservation / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D001809:Blood Viscosity; D002951:Citrates; D005947:Glucose; D006801:Humans; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D050050:Protein Carbonylation / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002951:Citrates; C007077:citrate phosphate dextrose; D005947:Glucose