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Covalent binding of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to the surface of red blood cells inhibits aggregation and reduces low shear blood viscosity
Author(s) -
Armstrong Jonathan K.,
Meiselman Herbert J.,
Fisher Timothy C.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
american journal of hematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.456
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1096-8652
pISSN - 0361-8609
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1096-8652(199709)56:1<26::aid-ajh5>3.0.co;2-4
Subject(s) - ethylene glycol , peg ratio , covalent bond , red blood cell , chemistry , biophysics , blood viscosity , polymer chemistry , materials science , biochemistry , organic chemistry , medicine , biology , finance , economics
A simple method to coat human red blood cells (RBC) with PEG is described. Using a reactive derivative, monomethoxy‐PEG (mPEG) was covalently attached to the surface of RBC in aqueous media under mild conditions. The PEG coating dramatically reduced aggregation and low shear viscosity of RBC resuspended in autologous plasma, and inhibited RBC agglutination by blood group‐specific antibodies. Morphology and deformability of the PEG‐treated cells were unaltered. The PEG coating of the RBC surface may be of significant benefit in the treatment of a variety of diseases characterized by vaso‐occlusion or impaired blood flow, e.g., myocardial infarction, sickle cell disease. Am. J. Hematol. 56:26–28, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.