Abstract
Endotoxin may disrupt the microcirculation and cause hemolysis. Lipid A is considered to be primarily responsible for the toxicity of endotoxin. The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of lipid A on adult red blood cell (RBC) deformability. A rheoscope was used to study whole cellular deformability and a micropipette system was used for analysis of RBC membrane elasticity (shear elastic modulus) and RBC geometry (volume and surface area). RBC were suspended in buffer solution containing 1, 10 or 100 μg of lipid A per ml of RBC. Lipid A markedly diminished cellular and membrane deformability of RBC. After 15 min of incubation, 10 μg lipid A/ml RBC decreased cellular deformability by 25% and membrane elasticity by 45%. 100 μg lipid A/ml RBC caused a reduction in cellular deformability of 39% and in membrane elasticity of 65%. 1 μg lipid A/ml RBC did not affect RBC deformation. Volume and surface area of RBC were not altered by lipid A. The effect of lipid A on RBC deformation was time-dependent. The lowest RBC deformability was observed after 20 min of incubation. After 30 min RBC deformability improved and reached pre-incubation values after 60 min. We conclude that lipid A strongly diminishes RBC deformability. We speculate that RBC are able to detoxify lipid A.
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