Erythrocyte Membrane Composition Research Articles

Effect of Moderate Beer Intake on the Lipid Composition of Human Red Blood Cell Membranes.

Background/Objectives: Growing evidence suggests that erythrocyte membrane lipids are subject to changes during their lifespan. Factors such as the type of dietary intake and its composition contribute to the changes in red blood cell (RBC) membranes. Due to the high antioxidant content of beer, we aimed to investigate the effect of moderate beer consumption on the lipid composition of RBCs membranes from healthy overweight individuals. Methods: We conducted a four-weeks, prospective two-arm longitudinal crossed-over study, where participants (n = 36) were randomly assigned to alcohol-free beer group or traditional beer group. The lipids of RBCs membranes were assessed at the beginning and the end of the intervention by thin-layer chromatography. Results: Four-weeks of alcohol-free beer promoted changes in fatty acids (FA), free cholesterol (FC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, traditional beer intake led to changes in FA, FC, phospholipids (PL), PE and PC (p < 0.05). The observed alterations in membrane lipids were found to be independent of sex and BMI as influencing factors. Conclusions: The lipid composition of erythrocyte membranes is distinctly but mildly influenced by the consumption of both non-alcoholic and conventional beer, with no effects on RBC membrane fluidity.

Fatty acid composition of blood serum and erythrocyte membranes in men with steatosis and steatohepatitis with normal transaminase activity

Aim. To study the characteristics of the fatty acid (FA) profi le of blood serum and erythrocyte membranes in patients with two forms of fatty liver disease (metabolic + alcoholic): steatosis and steatohepatitis with normal transaminase activity.Materials and methods. We examined 33 men (50.7 ± 9.6 years) with fatty liver disease (metabolic and alcoholic) with fi brosis F ≤ 1 (FibroTest). According to the ActiTest results, patients were divided into groups of steatosis – with minimal (A0–1) activity (n = 17) and steatohepatitis – with moderate/severe (A2–3) necroinfl ammatory activity (n = 16). The FA composition of blood serum and erythrocyte membranes was studied using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry Agilent 7000B (Agilent Technologies, Inc., USA). Methods of unpaired statistics using volcano plot and discriminant analysis based on orthogonal least squares (Orthogonal Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis, OPLS-DA), ROC analysis were applied.Results. Volcano plot analysis showed that in patients with fatty liver disease (metabolic and alcoholic) with normal transaminase activity, serum levels of stearic C18:0 (p = 0.016), arachidic C20:0 (p = 0.023), ratio saturated / polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (p = 0.001) were statistically signifi cantly higher in the steatohepatitis group compared with the steatosis group. The total content in the blood serum of all PUFA (p = 0.003), margaric C17:0 (p = 0.011), the sum of two omega-3 PUFA – eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6n-3) (p = 0.04), the total content of all omega-3 PUFA (p = 0.042) were statistically signifi cantly lower in patients with steatohepatitis. OPLS-DA demonstrated fairly accurate separation of steatohepatitis and steatosis using individual FA and their ratios. When individual FA and their ratios were included in the analysis, a model was obtained with AUC = 0.827 (95% confi dence interval 0.499–1.0), sensitivity 82.2% and specifi city 80.7%.Conclusion. FA in blood serum and erythrocyte membranes appear to be promising biomarkers of steatohepatitis with normal levels of transaminases.

Fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membranes in carries of rs174544 polymorphism of FADS1 gene and rs174583 polymorphism of FADS2 gene from central region of the Russian Federation before and after supplementation of their diet with ω-3 PUFAs

Numerous publications have demonstrated that polymorphisms in FADS1 and FADS2 gene cluster influence the levels of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC PUFAs) synthesized in the body from essential precursors. They can be consumed through the diet as well. These LC PUFAs perform important plastic and regulatory functions in the body. The associations between the polymorphisms of FADS genes and the fatty acid (FA) composition of the body with some inflammatory and chronic diseases were shown. To date, very few studies in the Russian Federation researched the distribution of polymorphic variants in FADS1 and FADS2 genes and no studies examined the effects of these polymorphisms on the level of FAs in tissues.So, the purpose of this paper was to study the frequency of genotypes and alleles of the rs174544 polymorphism of the FADS1 gene and the rs174583 polymorphism of the FADS2 gene and their influence on the FA composition of erythrocyte membranes in residents of the Central region of the Russian Federation (RF). Additionally, the effect of ω-3 PUFAs fortified food products on this composition was examined. MethodsThe study included 70 volunteers aged 23–69 years from Moscow region who provided informed consent. They were genotyped for rs174544 polymorphism of FADS1 gene and rs174583 polymorphism of FADS2 gene by real-time PCR. The participants of the study consumed fruit or vegetable smoothies enriched with either vegetable (chia seeds flour) or animal (fish oil flour) sources of ω-3 PUFAs for 1 month. The fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membranes in some of the volunteers was analysed using gas-chromatography before and after fortification of their diet with ω-3 PUFAs. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 23. ResultsThe frequency of genotypes and alleles of polymorphisms studied were similar to those published for the European region. For rs174544, the genotype frequencies were CC (61%), CA (29%), and AA (10%), frequency of allele A was 24%. For rs174583, the genotype frequencies were CC (51%), CT (39%), and TT (10%), frequency of allele T was 29%. Carriers of minor alleles of both polymorphisms studied had significantly higher levels of ω-6 and ω-3 LC PUFAs in erythrocyte membranes compared to those carrying other genotypes. This differs from the results of other studies where carriers of minor alleles as were shown to be slow converters of precursors to LC PUFAs. The reason of the discrepancy was most likely associated with the obesity and dietary preferences of our study participants who carry the minor alleles. Over the period of one-month consumption of food sources providing an additional intake of either 2 g/day ω-3 PUFAs from fish oil or 6.5 g/day of ω-3 PUFAs from chia seed flour markedly reduced the incorporation of ω-6 PUFAs into erythrocyte membranes in carriers of minor alleles. Additionally, there was an increase in the content of saturated palmitic acid in the membranes that noticeably changed the fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membranes. ConclusionOur results confirm the observation that blood fatty acid composition related to polymorphisms of FADS gene is highly influenced by BMI. The incorporation of ω-6 PUFAs into erythrocyte membranes decreases when the diet is fortified with ω-3 PUFAs. This decrease can help reduce the formation of pro-inflammatory eicosanoids and the risk of various inflammatory and chronic diseases, especially in carriers of minor alleles of the genetic polymorphisms studied.

Abstract P106: Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Erythrocyte Membranes Are Differentially Associated With Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Brazilian and Puerto Rican Adults

Introduction: Intake of omega-3 fatty acids (ω–3) may protect against CVD, but this evidence was generated from studies with limited ethnic diversity, and thus, findings may not be generalizable to wider populations, especially those with low habitual intake of ω–3. This study aimed to investigate the association between ω–3 in erythrocyte membranes (a biomarker of ω–3 intake) and cardiometabolic risk factors in Brazilian and Puerto Rican adults. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that Brazilians and Puerto Ricans have different ω–3 erythrocyte membrane composition, but that the ω–3 index is inversely associated with cardiometabolic risk factors in both populations. Methods: This cross-sectional analysis included 367 Brazilians living in São Paulo, Brazil, and 1,293 Puerto Ricans living in Boston, USA, aged 45-75 years, from two population-based studies: The 2015 Health Survey of São Paulo and the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study. In both studies, fatty acids composition (as % of total fatty acids) was quantified in erythrocyte membranes from fasting blood samples using a gas chromatograph with a flame ionization detector (Shimadzu, CG-2010, Kyoto, Japan). The ω–3 index was calculated as the sum of EPA and DHA. Blood lipids, waist circumference, and insulin resistance (fasting plasma glucose and HOMA-IR) were measured from standardized protocols. Generalized linear models with gamma distribution and log link or ordinary least squares regression assessed the associations of the ω–3 index and cardiometabolic risk factors. Results: Puerto Ricans had worse indicators for cardiometabolic risk factors than Brazilians, except for total cholesterol, LDL-c, and non-HDL-c. The mean ω–3 index did not differ between the studies (4.43% for Puerto Ricans and 4.45% for Brazilians, P = 0.87). However, there were less total saturated (41.2% vs. 51.5%, P &lt; 0.001) and more total polyunsaturated fatty acids (41.8% vs. 31.3%, P &lt; 0.001) in Puerto Ricans than Brazilians. After adjusting for age, sex, BMI, physical activity, and diet quality (AHEI-2010 without the EPA+DHA component), the ω–3 index was inversely associated with fasting plasma glucose (β ± SE = -2.78 ± 1.37, P = 0.044), triglycerides (β = -0.05 ± 0.02, P = 0.004), VLDL-c (β = -1.22 ± 0.42, P = 0.003), and TG-HDL-ratio (β = -0.05 ± 0.02, P = 0.025) in Puerto Ricans, but positively associated with total cholesterol (β = 2.74 ± 1.30, P = 0.035), LDL-c (β = 2.48 ± 1.15, P = 0.031), and non-HDL-c (β = 2.81 ± 1.27, P = 0.028) in Brazilians. Conclusion: Despite similar ω–3 indices in Brazilian and Puerto Rican adults, there were differences in the magnitude, direction, and specific cardiometabolic risk factors with which it was associated. Variations in the dietary intake and cardiometabolic profile between the populations may explain the contrasting results. Assessing specific ω–3 in diverse populations is essential when studying their role in cardiometabolic health.

Fatty acid composition of quail blood erythrocyte membranes under condition of feeding sodium selenite and nanoselenium

Infectious diseases are a significant problem in poultry farming, because they significantly slow down the growth rate of the industry and lead to losses. For the productive development of the industry and the avoidance of danger to the health of consumers due to the uncontrolled use of these drugs, it is worth using alternative methods of protecting poultry and improving the quality of the obtained products, in particular drugs obtained by nanotechnological means. Nowadays, nanoparticles of various minerals are used in poultry farming, the mineral antagonism of which is reduced in the intestines, compared to preparations of the usual size, which contributes to the modulation of absorption mechanisms, optimization of the immune response, and increased efficiency of digestion. Oxidative stress is a harmful factor for cellular integrity due to the constant release of reactive forms of oxygen. Se is widely used as a supplement to reduce oxidative stress. The element is found in organic and inorganic compounds, replaces Sulfur in protein molecules and is an important part of selenoproteins. Se is known for its antioxidant activity, plays a major role in optimizing redox potential, reproductive processes, hormone metabolism, muscle development, and anticarcinogenesis. Nano-Se results in higher Se retention activity due to smaller size and greater bioavailability. Biogenic selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs), synthesized with the participation of bacteria, have unique physicochemical and biological properties compared to inorganic and organic compounds, and nanoselenium-enriched probiotic bacteria can be effectively used as an alternative to other forms of selenium as food and feed additives. The work compared the composition of fatty acids of lipids extracted from erythrocytes of quail blood, which were injected with sodium selenite and pro-oxidant nano-Se. With the introduction of nanoselenium, a decrease in the level of NFAs was noted, as well as a significant increase in the level of the main PUFAs. The lack of compensatory accumulation of docosapolyene fatty acids in the cell membranes of erythrocytes of birds of the 2nd group can be considered as a factor of the beneficial effect of the administered drug, as well as as a justification for the need to prescribe complex drugs to birds capable of modulating the fatty acid composition of cell membranes. The effectiveness of using a complex nanopreparation consists in normalizing the level of fatty acids and restoring their metabolism at the stage of eicosanoid formation. Key words: fatty acids, quails, peroxide oxidation, selenium, sodium selenite, nanoselenium, nanoparticles, lipids.

Features of the fatty acid profile of erythrocyte membranes in patients with fatty liver disease of alcoholic genesis

Introduction. Alcoholic steatosis, which is a reversible condition, is currently considered a significant risk factor for the progression of diffuse liver pathology, therefore understanding of its mechanisms at the molecular level is essential.Aim. To study the features of the fatty acid profile of erythrocyte membranes in patients with fatty liver disease of alcoholic origin for possible use of fatty acids (FAs) as biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets.Materials and methods. A total of 31 men with alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD) (average age of 45.1 ± 17.1 years) and 28 men of comparable age without AFLD and symptomatic pathology of internal organs were examined. The FA composition and levels of erythrocyte membranes (ER) were studied using Agilent 7000B (USA) triple quadrupole gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.Results and discussion. A higher level of a range of saturated FAs (lauric, margaric, pentadecane), monounsaturated FAs (MUFAs), which are additional factors for the progression of AFLD (palmitoleic, total monounsaturated acids), n-6/n-3 polyun-saturated FAs ratio (PUFAs), alpha-linolenic FA was detected in patients with AFL vs the control group (p = 0.00002–0.05). In contrast, the levels of arachidic and docosahexaenoic acids, total eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic n-3 PUFAs, and total n-3 PUFAs were lower in patients with AFLD than in healthy men (p = 0.003–0.01), which is associated with increased ethanol induced adipose tissue lipolysis via PDE3B-AMPK axis. The use of FAs panel (C16:1;9, sum MUFA, n-6/n-3 PUFA, C22:6n3, C20:0) to distinguish patients with AFLD from healthy ones ensured high levels of sensitivity (79%), and specificity (81%) (AUC 0.808). Multidirectional associations of FA levels in erythrocyte membranes with each other and liver tests and lipid profile results were revealed.Conclusion. Thus, the features of erythrocytes membrane FAs in patients with AFLD and the potential to use them as biomarkers for differentiation of people with AFLD from healthy individuals have been identified.

Role of specialized pro-resolving mediators on inflammation, cardiometabolic health, disease progression, and quality of life after omega-3 PUFA supplementation and aerobic exercise training in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized 16-week, placebo-controlled interventional trial.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by autoantibody production and synovial membrane damage. It significantly impairs overall function and quality of life. Consumption of omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and regular aerobic exercise (AEx) training are reported to have positive effects on the progression of RA. However, the mechanisms behind these benefits are still inconclusive. This study protocol will investigate the effects of n-3 PUFA supplementation and AEx training on disease progression, cardiometabolic health, and quality of life, and their association with the plasma and synovial fluid levels of specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) in subjects with RA. Methods: The study consists of a 16-week intervention period, during which participants will be randomly assigned in a double-blinded manner to one of four groups: placebo control (PLA), PLA+AEx, n-3, or n-3+AEx. The PLA groups will be given a gelatin-filled capsule, while the n-3 groups will be given n-3 PUFAs equivalent to 2.5 g/d of docosahexaenoic acid and 0.5 g/d of eicosapentaenoic acid. The AEx groups will perform exercise three times per week on a stationary electronically braked cycle ergometer at 60-70% of their VO2peak for 50-60 minutes. Before and after the intervention, participants will undergo RA-specific and functional measurements, peak aerobic capacity test, and a dietary and physical activity assessment. Venous blood and synovial fluid from the knee joint will be collected. Changes in disease progression, cardiometabolic health, and quality of life, as well as erythrocyte membrane composition to assess n-3 incorporation, SPM levels, inflammatory markers, and gene expression from blood and synovial fluid will be analyzed. Conclusions: The study aims to elucidate the SPMs that regulate the inflammatory gene expression pathways and associate them with the improvements in disease progression, cardiometabolic health, and quality of life after n-3 PUFA supplementation and AEx training. Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov #NCT05945693.

Analysis of polyunsaturated fatty acids in antipsychotic-free individuals with at-risk mental state and patients with first-episode schizophrenia.

Abnormalities in membrane phospholipids are considered one of the pathophysiological backgrounds for schizophrenia. This study, explores the fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membranes and its association with clinical characteristics in two groups: individuals with an at-risk mental state (ARMS) and patients experiencing their first-episode of schizophrenia (FES). This study measured erythrocyte membrane fatty acids in 72 antipsychotic-free individuals with ARMS, 18 antipsychotic-free patients with FES, and 39 healthy volunteers. Clinical symptoms and cognitive and social functions were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS), Schizophrenia Cognition Rating Scale (SCoRS), and Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS). Eicosapentaenoic and docosapentaenoic acid levels were lower in the ARMS and FES groups than in the healthy control group. In contrast, nervonic acid (NA) levels were markedly higher in the ARMS and FES groups than in the controls, while only the FES group showed higher levels of arachidonic acid. Oleic acid and NA levels were significantly associated with PANSS scores in both the FES and ARMS groups, particularly for the negative and general subscores. However, the patient groups had no significant associations between the fatty acid composition and the BACS, SCoRS, and SOFAS scores. Furthermore, the baseline fatty acid composition did not differ between the ARMS individuals who later developed psychosis (N = 6) and those who were followed for more than 2 years without developing psychosis onset (N = 30). The findings suggest that abnormal fatty acid compositions may be shared in the early stages of schizophrenia and the clinical high-risk state for psychosis and may serve as vulnerability markers of psychopathology.

Peculiarities of phospholipiid changes in erythrocyte membranes in parturient women with COVID-19-associated community-acquired pneumonia

Aim. To evaluate the phospholipid composition of erythrocyte membranes in parturient women who had COVID-19-associated community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in the third trimester.Materials and methods. The material for the study was erythrocytes of peripheral blood of 65 parturient women diagnosed with COVID-19, moderate/severe course, CAP of viral etiology (main group). Patients of the main group, depending on the severity of CAP, were divided into two subgroups: subgroup 1 – moderate course of pneumonia (n=33), subgroup 2 – severe course of pneumonia (n=32). The control group consisted of 35 healthy parturient women. The quantitative composition of phospholipids was studied by two-dimensional thin-layer chromatography according to Kirchner.Results. In subgroup 1, the concentration of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine in erythrocyte membranes was below the standard values by 38% and 29%, respectively (p&lt;0.001), in subgroup 2, these indicators decreased by 32% and 48%, respectively (p&lt;0.001). At the same time, a significant increase in the concentration of lysophosphatidylcholine was found in patients of subgroup 1 by 92% (p&lt;0.001) and in patients of subgroup 2 by 110% (p&lt;0.001), compared with the group of healthy individuals. In addition, structural changes in the lipid bilayer of erythrocyte membranes under conditions of COVID-19associated CAP were characterized by a pronounced increase in the concentration of minor fractions of phospholipids: phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol in subgroup 1 by 63% and 53%, respectively (p&lt;0.001), in subgroup 2 by 79% and 68%, respectively (p&lt;0.001), compared with similar indicators in the control group.Conclusion. With COVID19-associated CAP in maternity women, structural disorganization of the phospholipid components of erythrocyte membranes is determined, manifested by a decrease in the concentration of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine with a simultaneous increase in the level of lysophosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol. These disorders increase with increasing severity of pulmonary inflammation. The revealed changes in the lipid spectrum of peripheral blood and the composition of erythrocyte membrane phospholipids in COVID-19-associated CAP indicate the need to develop methods for their correction.

Effect of myostatin gene mutation on erythrocyte osmotic fragility, hematological parameters and fatty acid composition of serum and erythrocyte membranes in piglets

Fatty acid composition of serum and erythrocyte membrane, erythrocyte osmotic fragility and hematological parameters were estimated with the objective of determining effects of the gene mutation in one-week-old MSTN homozygous mutant (KO, MSTN−/−), heterozygous mutant (MSTN−/+) and wild type (WT, MSTN+/+) piglets (n = 4 each). Erythrocyte osmotic fragility, complete blood count (CBC), and fatty acid composition of serum and erythrocyte membrane were determined by flow cytometric analysis, automated hematology analyzer system, and liquid chromatography, respectively. Mean of median corpuscular fragility (MCF) was lower (P < 0.05, 0.001) in KO than MSTN−/+ and WT piglets. KO piglets had decreased (P < 0.05) white blood cell (WBC) count, lymphocyte (LYM) count, platelet (PLT) count, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), red cell distribution width-standard deviation (RDW-SD), red cell distribution width-coefficient volume (RDW-CV), plateletcrit (PCT), mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), platelet-large cell ratio (P-LCR), and an increased red blood cell (RBC) count when compared with MSTN−/+ and WT piglets. The ratios of unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) to saturated fatty acid (SFA) concentrations in serum and erythrocyte membranes of MSTN KO piglets were 2-fold and 4-fold higher compared to WT piglets (P < 0.001), respectively. In conclusion, MSTN KO piglets had a decreased erythrocyte osmotic fragility, and altered hematological profile and fatty acid composition of serum and erythrocyte membranes, as characteristic phenotype.

Fatty acids homeostasis during fasting predicts protection from chemotherapy toxicity

Fasting exerts beneficial effects in mice and humans, including protection from chemotherapy toxicity. To explore the involved mechanisms, we collect blood from humans and mice before and after 36 or 24 hours of fasting, respectively, and measure lipid composition of erythrocyte membranes, circulating micro RNAs (miRNAs), and RNA expression at peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Fasting coordinately affects the proportion of polyunsaturated versus saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids at the erythrocyte membrane; and reduces the expression of insulin signaling-related genes in PBMCs. When fasted for 24 hours before and 24 hours after administration of oxaliplatin or doxorubicin, mice show a strong protection from toxicity in several tissues. Erythrocyte membrane lipids and PBMC gene expression define two separate groups of individuals that accurately predict a differential protection from chemotherapy toxicity, with important clinical implications. Our results reveal a mechanism of fasting associated with lipid homeostasis, and provide biomarkers of fasting to predict fasting-mediated protection from chemotherapy toxicity.

Decreases of ethanolamine plasmalogen and phosphatidylcholine in erythrocyte are a common phenomenon in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and coronary artery diseases

Decreased plasma levels of plasmalogens in neurodegenerative diseases have been watched with interest. We previously reported the decreases of erythrocyte ethanolamine plasmalogen (PlsPE) of blood not only in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD), but also in coronary artery disease (CAD). In the present study, by using the same high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method, we investigated the pattern of changes in the phospholipid composition of erythrocyte membrane in AD, PD and CAD compared with healthy individuals. The common patten of changes among them was as follows: The decrease of erythrocyte PlsPE was accompanied by a decrease of phosphatidylcholine although phosphatidylethanolamine remained unchanged. The decreases of PlsPE and phosphatidylcholine were replaced by an increase of sphingomyelin (SM) in the total phospholipids. The dissociated change between PlsPE and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) may be caused by the differences in molecular structure or in location in the cell membrane. Such special changes provide another piece of biochemical evidence that these different diseases are caused by identical pathological mechanism, suggesting potential biomarkers for these chronic diseases due to aging.

Cyclic Mechanical Stresses Alter Erythrocyte Membrane Composition and Microstructure and Trigger Macrophage Phagocytosis.

Red blood cells (RBCs) are cleared from the circulation when they become damaged or display aging signals targeted by macrophages. This process occurs mainly in the spleen, where blood flows through submicrometric constrictions called inter‐endothelial slits (IES), subjecting RBCs to large‐amplitude deformations. In this work, RBCs are circulated through microfluidic devices containing microchannels that replicate the IES. The cyclic mechanical stresses experienced by the cells affect their biophysical properties and molecular composition, accelerating cell aging. Specifically, RBCs quickly transition to a more spherical, less deformable phenotype that hinders microchannel passage, causing hemolysis. This transition is associated with the release of membrane vesicles, which self‐extinguishes as the spacing between membrane‐cytoskeleton linkers becomes tighter. Proteomics analysis of the mechanically aged RBCs reveals significant losses of essential proteins involved in antioxidant protection, gas transport, and cell metabolism. Finally, it is shown that these changes make mechanically aged RBCs more susceptible to macrophage phagocytosis. These results provide a comprehensive model explaining how physical stress induces RBC clearance in the spleen. The data also suggest new biomarkers of early "hemodamage" and inflammation preceding hemolysis in RBCs subjected to mechanical stress.

Influence of the SOD2 A16V gene polymorphism on alterations of redox markers and erythrocyte membrane fatty acid profiles in patients with multiple chemical sensitivity.

Chronically increased oxidative stress has been reported in patients with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS). Recently, a single nucleotide polymorphism of the gene coding for mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (SOD2), namely the missense substitution A16V (C47>T) resulting in alteration of SOD2 enzyme activity, has been reported to be associated with MCS. However, the influence of SOD2 A16V genetic background on redox status of patients with MCS has not yet been investigated. Here, the results of a retrospective analysis aimed to evaluate the role of the SOD2 A16V polymorphism in the alterations of antioxidant defense markers as well as fatty acid (FA) composition of erythrocyte membranes in 67 patients with MCS matched with 55 healthy controls is reported. The mutated SOD2 V16 variant was observed more frequently in the MCS group compared with the control group, and this difference was statistically significant. The most common genotype in both groups was the heterozygous SOD2 AV16 variant, whereas the mutated SOD2 VV16 variant was more frequently observed in the MCS group, although the difference was not significant. The MCS cohort showed significantly depleted levels of plasma total antioxidant activity, ubiquinol, erythrocyte reduced glutathione and membrane polyunsaturated FA levels, coupled with significant increases in glutathione peroxidase activity, likely accounting for sustained detoxification from lipoperoxides. Notably, the highest levels of oxidative stress were found in patients with MCS bearing the genotype SOD2 AA16, whereas intermediate levels were found in patients bearing the heterozygous AV16 genotype. Healthy subjects bearing the SOD2 AA16 genotype also showed increased oxidative stress compared with carriers of other SOD2 genotypes. Despite the need for further confirmations in larger cohorts, due to MCS population genetic heterogeneity, these preliminary findings suggest that SOD2 defective activity makes certain patients with MCS more susceptible to developing oxidative stress following a chronic daily exposure to pro-oxidant insults.

Вплив мембранотропних речовин на чутливість еритроцитів ссавців до дії постгіпертонічного шоку

The effect of cationic trifluoperazine (TFP) and nonionic decyl-β,D-glucopyranoside (DGP) on the sensitivity of human, rabbit and rat erythrocytes to the action of posthypertonic shock (PHS) at 0 °C was studied in this research. Trifluoperazine shows a high antihemolytic activity under conditions of PHS of human and animal erythrocytes at slight differences of values of effective concentrations. The value of antihemolytic activity of TFP for human and rabbit erythrocytes is ~ 60 %, and for rat cells the efficiency of this compound is approximately 1.4 times higher. The values of antihemolytic activity of DGP under PHS conditions of human and rat erythrocytes are comparable and amounts to 62 and 66 %, respectively. Significant differen­ces of this parameter (72 %) were found for rabbit cells compared with human erythrocytes. It was found that the size of plateau (the range of concentrations of amphiphilic compounds within the minimum level of erythrocyte hemolysis was observed) cationic TFP and nonionic DGP are significantly different. Thus, TFP has a narrow plateau (100–200 μmol/L), while DGP has a rather wide one (400–1600 μmol/L). In addition, a shift of the plateau concentrations of DGP to the region of higher values compared with TFP is observed, which is probably due to the fact that the value of the critical micelle concentration DGP is higher than TFP. Moreover, a shift of plateau concentrations of DGP to the region of higher values compared with TFP is observed, that is probably due to the fact that the value of the critical micelle concentration DGP is higher than TFP one. It was established that under PHS conditions of human erythrocyte, both compounds (TFP and DGP) show a commensurate antihemolytic activity. At the same time, for rabbit cells, DGP is more effective compared with TFP, and for rat erythrocytes, on the contrary, the efficiency of TFP is higher than DGP. This may be due to differences in the phospholipid composition of mammalian erythrocyte membranes. The results suggest that under PHS conditions the efficacy of membrane-tropic compounds is most likely due to their ability to incorporate into membrane to the defect formation areas, and thus significantly increase the critical hemolytic volume of cells, as a result, prevent their destruction.

Dietary supplementation with docosahexaenoic acid rich fish oil increases circulating levels of testosterone in overweight and obese men

Pre-clinical evidence suggests that omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), in particular, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have been shown to affect testosterone synthesis in males. This study is a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial which determined the effect of a DHA-enriched fish oil supplement on insulin resistance. The aim of the current study was to determine whether testosterone levels change in response to a DHA-enriched fish oil intervention. Overweight and obese men and women without diabetes were recruited to the study. Participants were stratified by sex and randomly allocated to intervention (860 mg DHA + 120 g EPA/day; FO) or an isocaloric control (corn oil; CO) for 12 weeks. A fasted blood sample was collected pre- and post-intervention. Fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membranes was measured using gas chromatography. Total testosterone and metabolic parameters were measured by an accredited commercial pathology laboratory. Sixty-one participants (CO/FO: n = 29/32) were included in the current analysis (male: n = 22, 36.07%). DHA-enriched fish oil supplementation increased total testosterone levels in males after adjusting for baseline levels, age and BMI. There was no treatment effect in females. Changes in testosterone levels in males were positively associated with changes to omega-3 PUFAs EPA and DHA and inversely correlated with omega-6 PUFA, arachidonic acid and dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid content in erythrocyte membranes, and was associated with beneficial changes to fasting insulin and HOMA-IR across the course of the study. DHA-enriched fish oil supplementation increases testosterone levels in overweight and obese men. Further research is warranted to substantiate these findings with a larger sample size and a longer follow-up period.

Effect of Supplemental Enteral Fish Oil on the Development of Psychological Complications in Critically Ill Multiple-Trauma Patients: 6 Months' Follow-Up.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Defic it intake of ω-3 polyuns aturated fatty ac ids (PUFAs) may be as sociated with developm ent of PTSD. This study randomized mechanically ventilated patients suffering from multiple trauma (n = 150) into 2 groups: a study and a control group that received enteral feeding with or without fish oil. Fifty-one patients were interviewed 6 months after discharge from the ICU. Psychometric parameters of PTSD were assessed by questionnaires. The fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membranes was performed by homogenization of the cells in hexane-isopropanol. No differences were found in baseline characteristics between the groups. Erythrocyte membrane composition showed significantly higher concentrations of ω-3 fatty acids in the study group. Anxiety and depression symptoms were correlated with an increase in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on days 4 and 8 for depression and EPA on day 4 and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on day 8 for anxiety. Total ω-3 content was positively correlated with anxiety and depression as well. An inverse correlation was found between DHA and EPA in the treatment group and with the total ω-3 and DHA in the control group for the Brief Illness Perceptions Questionnaire. Administration of an ω-3 PUFA-enriched diet during the ICU stay did not prevent development of PTSD in trauma patients 6 months after discharge from ICU.

Differences in fatty acid profi les of erythrocyte membranes related to tumor localization in colorectal cancer (pilot study)

Aim of work is to study the compositional features of fatty acids (FA) of erythrocyte membranes in patients with diff erent localization of the tumor in colorectal cancer (CRC). Materials and methods . Using a chromatography-mass spectrometric system (GC/MS) Agilent 7000B based on three quadrupoles (USA), the composition of erythrocyte (Er) membranes of 129 patients with CRC was studied: (average age 63.2±9.4 years, of which 68 men and 61 women; 25 with proximal, 98 with distal tumor localization) and 35 people in the comparison group. Results . A greater degree of decrease in the levels of saturated, monounsaturated FAs (MUFAs), and, conversely, an increase in the levels of polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs) in patients with distal tumor localization compared to healthy ones, was established than the same ratio in the pair “proximal localization of tumor RCC — healthy”. A greater degree of increase in the level of omega-3 PUFAs was noted than omega-6, which aff ected the ratio n-6 / n-3, which was signifi cantly reduced in cancer patients, to a greater extent with distal tumor localization. The most signifi cant for distinguishing tumors located in diff erent parts of the intestine were: saturated fatty acids — myristic C14:0 (p&lt;0,001) and pentadecanoic C15:0 (p=0,012), omega-3 a-linolenic (C18:3; n-3) (p=0,02), whose levels were signifi cantly higher and, conversely, most of the omega-6 PUFAs (C18:2 n-6, C20:3 n-6, C20:4 n-6) and one omega-3 PUFAs — C22:6 n-3 (p&lt;0,05), whose levels were signifi cantly lower with proximal localization of the tumor than with distal. Conclusion . The results obtained indicate the importance of taking into account the localization of the tumor in patients with CRC when conducti ng studies of metabolic profiles.

Fatty acid composition of the erythrocyte membrane and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic patients.

Disturbances in fatty acid (FA) metabolism have been reported in cirrhosis, but the role of FAs in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still unclear. Biomarkers are a promising means to explore the associations between exogenous intake or endogenous production of FAs and cancer risk. To estimate the relationship between fatty acid content in erythrocyte membranes and HCC risk in cirrhotic patients METHODS: The "CiRCE" case-control study recruited cirrhotic patients from six French hospitals between 2008 and 2012. Cases were cirrhotic patients with HCC (n = 349); controls were cirrhotic patients without HCC at inclusion (n = 550). FA composition of phospholipids in erythrocyte membranes was determined by high performance gas chromatography. Odds ratios for HCC risk according to FA concentrations were estimated with multivariable logistic regression. HCC patients were older and more often men (P < 0.001). In both groups, saturated FAs represented more than 39% of all FAs in erythrocyte membranes, mono-unsaturated FAs around 14%, and polyunsaturated FAs around 46%. High levels of C15:0 + C17:0, C20:1 n-9, C18:2 n-6 and C20:2 n-6 were associated with higher risk of HCC. The levels of C18:0 and C20:4 n-6 were lower in HCC cases than in controls. The FA composition of erythrocyte membranes differed according to the presence of HCC with higher levels of saturated FAs, linoleic and eicosadienoic acids, and lower levels of stearic and arachidonic acids. These alterations may reflect particular dietary patterns and/or altered FA metabolism. Further investigations are warranted.

ASSESSMENT OF CHANGES IN THE LIPID COMPOSITION OF BLOOD PLASMA AND ERYTHROCYTE MEMBRANES IN STUDENTS UNDER STUDY LOAD AND THEIR PREVENTION

Introduction. The content of low and high-density lipoproteins, the level of total cholesterol, and the fatty acids composition of blood plasma and erythrocyte membranes were studied in first-year university students. The prevention of stress disorders was carried out with the functional food product “Biolad-Kalina” marmalade (TU 9128-152-02067936-2006) contained 100 mg of a complex of polyphenolic compounds per 100 g of the product, accounting for a therapeutic dose for polyphenol preparations. Material and methods. A group of 10 male students aged 18-20 years studying in the 1st year of full-time study (2nd semester after admission to the university) was examined. The 1st group (control) included 20 healthy male donors; in the 2nd group - 10 male students before a biochemical blood test, the 3rd group - 10 male students of the 2nd group, after a biochemical blood test, invited to take daily for 6 weeks in the morning, 100 g of marmalade “Biolad-Kalina”. Results. The effect of the study load (stress) was shown to be accompanied by the increase in low-density lipoproteins in plasma, the concentration of total cholesterol, total lipids and decrease in the content of total phospholipids, which is typical for dyslipidemia. In blood plasma and erythrocyte membranes, there was an increase in the content of saturated fatty acids (myristic, palmitic) and a decrease in the amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids of n-6 (arachidonic) and n-3 (eicosapentaenoic, docosahexaenoic) families, which causes changes in the physical and chemical properties of erythrocyte membranes, permeability, and lability. Changes in the ratio of fatty acids in the lipid pattern of erythrocyte membranes indicate the presence of destructive processes under the influence of stress. A prophylactic effect of the functional food product of marmalade “Biolad-Kalina” on the studied biochemical indices has been estimated. There was shown its effectiveness in the restoration of lipid metabolism in blood and erythrocyte membranes due to presence in it of a wide range of polyphenolic compounds.