Assessment of Hemorheological Deformability of Human Red Cells Exposed to tert-Butyl Hydroperoxide, Verapamil and Ascorbate by Ektacytometer

Dong Hyun Kim; M.S.; Yu Kyung Kim; M.D.; Dong Il Won; M.D.; Sehyun Shin; Ph.D.; and Jang Soo Suh; M.D.

doi:10.3343/kjlm.2008.28.5.325

Article

Original Article

Korean J Lab Med 2008; 28(5): 325-331

Published online October 1, 2008 https://doi.org/10.3343/kjlm.2008.28.5.325

Assessment of Hemorheological Deformability of Human Red Cells Exposed to tert-Butyl Hydroperoxide, Verapamil and Ascorbate by Ektacytometer

Dong Hyun Kim, M.S.¹, Yu Kyung Kim, M.D.¹, Dong Il Won, M.D.¹, Sehyun Shin, Ph.D.², and Jang Soo Suh, M.D.¹

Department of Clinical Pathology¹, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu; Department of Mechanical Engineering², School of Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, Korea

Correspondence to: 서 장 수
우 700-721 대구광역시 중구 삼덕동 2가 50 경북대학교병원 진단검사의학과
전화: 053-420-5293, Fax : 053-426-3367
E-mail: suhjs@knu.ac.kr
*본 논문은 2007년도 정부(과학기술부)의 재원으로 한국과학재단의 지원을 받아 수행된 연구임(No ROA-2003-000-10306-0).

Received: March 19, 2008; Revised: June 13, 2008; Accepted: July 21, 2008

Abstract

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Abstract

Background : Normal erythrocyte is deformable and this facilitates blood flow in the capillaries. Oxidative stress reduces the deformability of erythrocytes, and influences on blood flow in microcirculation. The objective of this study was to investigate the deformability of erythrocytes exposed to oxidative stress, the protective effects of verapamil and ascorbic acid against oxidative damages in erythrocytes, and the value of the microfluidic ektacytometer, RheoScan-D (RheoMeditech, Korea) in clinical application.
Methods : Effects of oxidative stress on erythrocytes were investigated using tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP). Before exposure to tBHP, the erythrocytes were pretreated with verapamil and ascorbic acid to examine their protective effect against oxidative damages. The deformability of erythrocytes was measured by the microfluidic ektacytometer, RheoScan-D.
Results : When treated with tBHP, the deformability of erythrocytes was decreased (P<0.01) and methemoglobin (metHb) formation and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) of erythrocytes were increased (P<0.01, P<0.05) compared to those of the untreated control cells. Compared to the tBHP treated cells, pretreatment with verapamil increased the deformability of erythrocytes (P<0.01) and decreased metHb formation (P<0.01) and MCV (P<0.05). Likewise, pretreatment with ascorbic acid increased the deformability of erythrocytes (P<0.01) and decreased metHb formation (P<0.01).
Conclusions : Oxidative stress reduces the deformability of erythrocytes and the deformability could be one of markers for oxidative damage. Verapamil and ascorbic acid have protective role against tBHP induced oxidative stress. The ektacytometer, RheoScan-D used in this study is convenient for clinical measurement and could be used in various fields of clinical medicine.