Erythrocyte Membranes Of Children Research Articles

The structure of the intracranial veins and elastic-viscous properties of erythrocyte membranes in children with connective tissue dysplasia

Objective: To study the structure of intracranial veins and elastic-viscous properties of erythrocyte membranes in children with connective tissue dysplasia. Methods: Group 1 consisted of 60 children with signs of connective tissue dysplasia in age from 10 to 16 years. Group 2 consisted of 40 children. Magnetic resonance angiography was performed on the apparatus, equipped with a superconducting magnet system with field strength of 1.5 T. To examine the state of the cytoplasmic membrane of erythrocytes were used dry preparations of erythrocytes. The product was dried in air and then subjected to scanning, which was carried out using an atomic force microscope, equipped with non-contact silicon probe, resonance frequency and the radius of curvature of the cantilever. They used a semi-contact technique. Quantification of membrane elasticity was carried out by calculating the Young's Modulus (E, MPa). Results are expressed as median, quartiles 25 and 75, M (25%; 75%). Differences were considered significant at the achieved level of significance p < 0.05. Results: In group 1 hypoplasia of the right transverse sinus occurred in 5% of cases, arteriovenous malformations– in 5% of cases, hypoplasia of the left sigmoid sinus – in 5% of cases, hypoplasia of the left internal jugular vein - in 10.5% of cases. In group 2 the development of intracranial venous anomalies have been identified. Patients of group 1 Young's modulus was equal to 182.68 (132.43; 232.94) MPa, in the comparison group - 111.48 (38.35; 184.61) MPa. The Young's modulus was significantly higher in children with connective tissue dysplasia (p < 0.05). Conclusion: For children with severe dysplasia of the connective tissue characterized by congenital malformations of intracranial veins, which in itself can be a predictor of cerebrovascular pathology. In children with connective tissue dysplasia a higher Young's modulus erythrocyte membrane in infants than control group, suggesting decreased erythrocyte deformability when passing through the microvasculature.

The lipid spectrum of erythrocyte membranes in children with diabetes mellitus

The present study was undertaken to examine the lipid spectrum of erythrocytic membranes and serum in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM-1) during pathogenetic therapy in relation to the duration of the disease, its severity, and the presence of vascular events. Ninety-nine patients with DM-1 and 40 healthy children of the same age were examined. The patients were on basic bolus insulin therapy. In children, DM-1 was ascertained to be accompanied by not only atherogenic serum lipid metabolic disturbances (the elevated levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, low- and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol), but also by the impaired lipid spectrum of erythrocytic membranes (reductions in the level of total lipids and the fraction of phosphatidylcholine (PC) with an increase in the level of fractions of tysophosphatidylcholine and phosphaUdylinositol; elevated levels of saturated fatty acids and decreased levels of unsaturated fatty acids in the fractions of PC and phosphatidylethanolamlne; the enhanced microviscosity of deep membranous layers and the modified outer membranous ones). Complex basic therapy resulted in incomplete normalization of the study parameters of the lipid spectrum of serum and erythrocytic membranes in DM complicated by microangiopathies, which requires optimization of conventional therapeutic regimens.

Alteration in amino-glycerophospholipids levels in the plasma of children with autism: A potential biochemical diagnostic marker

Currently, there is no biochemical test to assist in the behavioral diagnosis of autism. We observed that levels of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) were decreased while phosphatidylserine (PS) were increased in the erythrocyte membranes of children with autism as compared to their non-autistic developmentally normal siblings. A new method using Trinitrobenezene sulfonic acid (TNBS) for the quantification of PE and PS (amino-glycerophospholipids, i.e., AGP) in the plasma of children was developed and standardized. Wavelength scans of TNBS-PE and TNBS-PS complexes gave two peaks at 320 nm and 410 nm. When varying concentrations of PS and PE were used, a linear regression line was observed at 410 nm with TNBS. Using this assay, the levels of AGP were found to be significantly increased in the plasma of children with autism as compared to their non-autistic normal siblings. It is proposed that plasma AGP levels may function as a potential diagnostic marker for autism.

Oxidative stress and erythrocyte damage in Kenyan children with severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria.

Anaemia causes significant morbidity in children with Plasmodium falciparum malaria, but the mechanism(s) are unclear. During malarial infection, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated that may contribute to erythrocyte damage and anaemia. This study measured the concentrations of alpha-tocopherol in plasma and erythrocyte membranes, and the percentage polyunsaturated fatty acid composition (%PUFA) (an indirect marker of ROS damage) in erythrocyte membranes in children with severe P. falciparum malaria from Kilifi, Kenya, and asymptomatic children from the same district. Malarial subjects were stratified into complicated malaria and malaria anaemia. Results demonstrated significant reductions in erythrocyte membrane alpha-tocopherol concentration (1.63 +/- 0.16 versus 3.38 +/- 0.18 micromol/mg protein; P < 0.001) and total %PUFA (30.7 +/- 0.49 versus 32.8 +/- 0.44% P < 0.005) for the malarial subjects (non-stratified) compared with controls. Malarial subjects showed a significant positive correlation between membrane alpha-tocopherol and haemoglobin concentrations (P < 0.005 r = 0.63 complicated malaria group; P < 0.05 r = 0.36 non-stratified data). There were no significant differences in plasma alpha-tocopherol concentration between malaria patients and controls. In conclusion, malarial infection may be associated with oxidative damage and reduced alpha-tocopherol reserve in the erythrocyte membrane, suggesting that local antioxidant depletion may contribute to erythrocyte loss in severe malaria. Erythrocyte membrane alpha-tocopherol appeared a better indicator of ROS exposure than plasma.

Protein spectrum and state of lipid bilayer in erythrocyte membranes in children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and fluorescence analysis data

Erythrocyte membranes in children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus are characterized by a decreased content of high-molecular-weight proteins and increased content of low-molecular-weight proteins and fractions of aggregated material against the background of increased microviscosity of deep membrane layers and changes in the protein-lipid interactions. These abnormalities were found in phases of clinical metabolic decompensation and subcompensation.