Induction of Suicidal Erythrocyte Death by Novobiocin

Novobiocin, an aminocoumarin antibiotic, interferes with heat shock protein 90 and hypoxia inducible factor dependent gene expression and thus compromises cell survival. Similar to survival of nucleated cells, erythrocyte survival could be disrupted by eryptosis, the suicidal erythrocyte death characterized by cell shrinkage and by phospholipd scrambling of the cell membrane with phosphatidylserine translocation to the erythrocyte surface. Triggers of eryptosis include increase of cytosolic Ca(2+)-activity ([Ca(2+)]i). The Ca(2+) sensitivity of phospholipid scrambling is enhanced by ceramide. The present study explored, whether novobiocin elicits eryptosis.