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Production of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria‐like red blood cells by tea
Author(s) -
Benjamin Lennette J.,
Goldstein Bernard D.,
Distenfeld Ariel,
Troll Walter
Publication year - 1977
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/ajh.2830020306
Subject(s) - paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria , hemolysis , leupeptin , hemoglobinuria , red cell , red blood cell , hemolysin , hemolytic anemia , protease , cytolysis , chemistry , biology , biochemistry , immunology , cytotoxicity , medicine , in vitro , enzyme , virulence , gene
Abstract Normal human red cells incubated with saline extracts of tea develop paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria‐like defects as demonstrated by positive acid and sucrose hemolysis tests. All of a variety of tea preparations tested provoked a sensitivity to complement‐dependent hemolysis and, with one exception, a moderate decrease in red cell acetylcholinesterase activity. Complement‐dependent hemolysis in tea‐incubated red cells was inhibited by antisera to C3 and to C3 activator, but not by antisera to C4. This suggests that incubation with tea may alter the red cell membrane in a way that specifically potentiates the lytic effects of the alternate pathway of complement, but not the classic pathway. Leupeptin, a protease inhibitor, also prevented complement‐dependent hemolysis of red cells incubated with tea. Although the clinical consequences of these observations are unknown, the study was initiated following a report of a young male who had developed an acute limited intravascular hemolytic episode following ingestion of large quantities of a herbal tea.