Background: After storing blood for a period of time, the structure and properties of the red blood cells (RBC) will change, which results in a decrease in the oxygen-carrying capacity, and further has a certain impact on their exosomes.
Objectives: Effective oxygen uptake (Q), P50, 2,3-DPG, and Na+-K+-ATP of RBC after different storage times were detected. Electron microscopy was used to observe the morphology of RBC and the characteristics of secreting exosomes. Western blot was used to detect the expression of phenotypes CD63 and CD81 of exosomes, and the expression of mitochondrial riboprotein MRPS35 of exosomes was also detected to explore the mechanism of decreased function of RBC with the extension of preservation time.
Material and methods: After the RBC suspension was prepared, the effective oxygen-carrying capacity (Q) and P50, as well as 2,3-DPG and Na+-K+-ATP were prepared. This was followed by morphology observation of erythrocyte exosomes using transmission electron microscope (TEM), and by western blot analysis of exosome phenotypes CD63 and CD81.
Results: Erythrocytes secrete exosomes, which results in abnormal expression of related proteins in mitochondria. This leads to increased ROS production, mitochondrial apoptosis and, finally, changes in or damage to erythrocytes.
Conclusions: Changes in the rheological properties and oxygen-carrying functions of erythrocytes during preservation are all observable manifestations, and underlying these manifestations are mechanisms of damage to erythrocytes at a molecular level. Erythrocytes secrete exosomes, which results in abnormal expression of related proteins in mitochondria, increasing ROS production, mitochondrial apoptosis and, finally, changes or damage to erythrocytes.
Keywords: exosomes; oxygen-carrying capacity; red blood cells; storage time.