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Decreased deformability of donor red blood cells after intrauterine transfusion in the human fetus: possible reason for their reduced life span?
Author(s) -
Egberts J.,
Hardeman M.R.,
Luykx L.M.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
transfusion
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.045
H-Index - 132
eISSN - 1537-2995
pISSN - 0041-1132
DOI - 10.1111/j.1537-2995.2004.04014.x
Subject(s) - lipid peroxidation , fetus , hemolysis , phospholipid , andrology , red blood cell , in vivo , oxidative stress , hemoglobin , medicine , chemistry , endocrinology , immunology , biochemistry , biology , pregnancy , membrane , genetics , microbiology and biotechnology
BACKGROUND: The life span of donor red blood cells (RBCs) is reduced in the fetus with Rh hemolytic disease. This may have resulted from donor or recipient factors. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Studied in vitro was the effect of gamma irradiation on hemolysis, methemo‐globin (metHb), and lipid peroxidation of donor RBCs and the ability of fetal and adult plasma to protect irradiated RBCs from induced lipid peroxidation. Also studied in vivo were the effects after the time that donor RBCs reside in the fetus by measuring its lipid peroxidation, cholesterol‐to‐phospholipid ratios, and deformability of RBCs. RESULTS: Irradiation barely increased hemolysis and metHb formation and did not increase lipid peroxidation. Plasma samples of D+ fetuses inhibited induced oxidative stress less than plasma samples of adults. Nevertheless, in vivo lipid peroxidation of the donor RBC membrane had not increased, whereas the molar cholesterol‐to‐phospholipid ratio increased from 1.08 ± 0.11 to 1.38 ± 0.12. It became identical to that of the fetal RBCs (1.44 ± 0.12). Before transfusion, the deformability of the adult RBCs (elongation index, 0.578 ± 0.013) was better than that of the fetal cells (elongation index, 0.494 ± 0.027), but decreased to fetal levels after transfusion (elongation index, 0.518 ± 0.039). CONCLUSION: Irradiation of the RBCs and a reduced fetal antioxidant capacity do not lead to in vivo lipid peroxidation. The shorter life span of donor cells in the fetus probably results from a decreased deformability of the RBCs after transfusion, most likely owing to an increased cholesterol‐to‐phospholipid ratio.