Hydrogen sulfide better restores micromechanical properties of old erythrocytes: in vitro study

A.V. Muravyov, A.V. Priezzhev, I.A. Tikhomirova, A.E. Lugovtsov, N.Antonova

Abstract: The microrheological properties of erythrocytes (RBCs), especially their deformability (RBCD) and aggregation (RBCA), significantly affect the resistance to blood flow and, consequently, blood pressure. With RBC aging, their RBCD decreases, and RBCA increases. At the same time, it is known that the RBC microrheological properties improve under the influence of gasotransmitters: nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide (H2S). The aim of this work was to study the microrheological responses of young and old RBCs to H2S - in individuals with arterial hypertension. After washing, RBCs were separated from plasma and divided in a density gradient into three age fractions: young, mature and old cells. Then they were incubated: with H2S donor sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS, 100 μM), Ca2+ channel blocker verapamil (10 μM), tetraethylammonium the blocker of K(Ca)- channels (TEA, 50 μM). After incubation with NaHS, the RBCD of young cells increased by 5% (p<0.01), while in old cells it increased by 16% (p<0.01). The RBCA of old RBCs also decreased more significantly (by 56% versus 37% for young ones). Thus, after incubation with NaHS, old RBCs significantly restored their microrheological properties. If before H2S donor, the difference in RBCD between old and young erythrocytes was 17% (p<0.01), then after the exposure to NaHS it decreased to 7%. The same with aggregation: before H2S donor, the difference in RBCA between old and young RBCs was 140%, and after NaHS it was only 70%. Experiments with blocking Ca2+- and K(Ca) - channels indicate that the effective restoration of the microrheological properties of old RBCs is probably associated with the peculiarity of calcium metabolism.

Series on Biomechanics, Vol.36 No.4 (2022), 5-9
DOI:10.7546/SB.02.04.2022

Keywords: aggregation; deformability; gasotransmitters; hydrogen sulphide; Red blood cell age fractions

Date published: 2022-11-07