title: In vitro effect of AlCl3 on human erythrocytes: changes in membrane morphology and functionality.
abstract: Aluminum belongs to a group of potential toxic elements capable of penetrating the human body. In this paper, the effect of aluminum concentrations on red blood cell membranes using different fluorescent probes able to localize in various parts of the phospholipid bilayer (TMA-DPH, laurdan and pyrene) were studied. Our results confirm that human erythrocytes exposed to aluminum undergo physico-chemical modifications at the membrane level. A decrease in fluorescence anisotropy of TMA-DPH and in the polarity of the lipid bilayer with a concomitant shift toward a gel phase was observed, and the pyrene excimerization coefficient (kex) increased. Furthermore, the presence of aluminum induced lipid peroxidation and reduced the activity of erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT and GSHPx). Al-induced morphological changes on the erythrocyte membrane surface were monitored using atomic force microscopy. These results provide further information on the target of action of different aluminum amounts.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biophysics and Cell Engineering of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Belarus.
authors.forename: Ludmila Michaylovna
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Lukyanenko
authors.forename: Aliasksandra Sergeevna
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Skarabahatava
authors.forename: Ekaterina Ivanovna
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Slobozhanina
authors.forename: Svetlana Anatolievna
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kovaliova
authors.forename: Maria Letizia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Falcioni
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Falcioni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000077410:Aluminum Chloride; D017607:Aluminum Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D002712:Chlorides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004161:Diphenylhexatriene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005454:Fluorescence Polarization; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D017607:Aluminum Compounds; D000975:Antioxidants; D002712:Chlorides; D004161:Diphenylhexatriene; D000077410:Aluminum Chloride; C033628:1-(4-(trimethylamino)phenyl)-6-phenylhexa-1,3,5-triene; D005978:Glutathione