title: Effects of disodium cromoglycate on cationic exchange of deoxygenated sickle cells.
abstract: In the present work, we explored the way in which cromoglycate, a drug used to treat allergies acts on ion movements in sickle cells. Cells were either slowly deoxygenated by overnight exposure to nitrogen or acutely deoxygenated by exposure to metabisulfite, a strong reducing agent which induces sickling of red blood sickle cells. Flushing the cells with nitrogen increased the intracellular concentration of Na(+) and decreased the intracellular concentration of K(+) and the sum of the concentrations of the two cations. One hundred nM cromoglycate inhibited the decrease of intracellular K(+) and the increase of intracellular Na(+) induced by deoxygenation (n=17). Metabisulfite (100mM) increased the intracellular concentration of Ca(2+) (measured by Fura Red) (n=15) and the shape of the cells (measured by light scattering) (n=9). One μM cromoglycate partially inhibited these two responses. In conclusion, cromoglycate partially inhibits abnormal K(+) loss, Ca(2+) entry pathways or Ca(2+) channels opened by cell deoxygenation and ensuing membrane modifications and prevents cell sickling.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biological and Medical Chemistry, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium.
authors.forename: Léonidas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bizumukama
authors.forename: Alina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferster
authors.forename: Béatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gulbis
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumps
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cotton
mesh_terms: D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D048430:Cell Shape / Q000187:drug effects; D004205:Cromolyn Sodium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000494:pharmacology; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D019163:Reducing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism; D013447:Sulfites / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D019163:Reducing Agents; D013447:Sulfites; C030981:metabisulfite; D012964:Sodium; D009584:Nitrogen; D004205:Cromolyn Sodium; D011188:Potassium; D010100:Oxygen