title: Storage-induced damage to red blood cell mechanical properties can be only partially reversed by rejuvenation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The storage of red blood cells (RBC) is associated with impairment of their properties that can induce a circulatory risk to recipients. In a preceding study (2009), we reported that post-storage rejuvenation (RJ) of stored RBC (St-RBC) efficiently reduced the storage-induced RBC/endothelial cell interaction, while only partially reversing the level of intracellular Ca(2+), reactive oxygen species, and surface phosphatidylserine. In the present study, we examined the RJ effectiveness in repairing St-RBC mechanical properties.
  
  
  METHODS
  RBC, stored in CPDA-1 without pre-storage leukoreduction, were subjected to post-storage RJ, and the deformability, osmotic fragility (OF), and mechanical fragility (MF) of the rejuvenated St-RBC (St-RBCRj) were compared to those of untreated St-RBC and of freshly-collected RBC (F-RBC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  5-week storage considerably increased OF and MF, and reduced the deformability of St-RBC. All alterations were only partially (40-70%) reversed by RJ, depending on the extent of the damage: the greater the damage, the lesser the relative effect of RJ.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of the present and preceding studies suggest that different St-RBC properties are differentially reversed by RJ, implying that some of the changes occur during storage and are irreversible.
authors: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University.
authors: Gregory
authors: G
authors: Barshtein
authors: Blood Bank, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors: Alexander
authors: A
authors: Gural
authors: Blood Bank, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors: Noga
authors: N
authors: Manny
authors: Blood Bank, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors: Orly
authors: O
authors: Zelig
authors: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University.
authors: Saul
authors: S
authors: Yedgar
authors: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors: Dan
authors: D
authors: Arbell
keywords: RBC deformability; RBC mechanic fragility; RBC osmotic fragility; Rejuvenation