Open AccessAtorvastatin treatment softens human red blood cells: an optical tweezers study
Author(s) -
Vahid Sheikh-Hasani,
Mehrad Babaei,
Ali Azadbakht,
Hamidreza Pazoki–Toroudi,
Alireza Mashaghi,
Ali Akbar Moosavi-Movahedi,
S. Nader S. Reihani
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
biomedical optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.362
H-Index - 86
ISSN - 2156-7085
DOI - 10.1364/boe.9.001256
Subject(s) - optical tweezers , softening , biophysics , materials science , red blood cell , atorvastatin , nanotechnology , biomedical engineering , chemistry , optics , biology , medicine , pharmacology , biochemistry , physics , composite material
Optical tweezers are proven indispensable single-cell micro-manipulation and mechanical phenotyping tools. In this study, we have used optical tweezers for measuring the viscoelastic properties of human red blood cells (RBCs). Comparison of the viscoelastic features of the healthy fresh and atorvastatin treated cells revealed that the drug softens the cells. Using a simple modeling approach, we proposed a molecular model that explains the drug-induced softening of the RBC membrane. Our results suggest that direct interactions between the drug and cytoskeletal components underlie the drug-induced softening of the cells.