Red Blood Cell Lipid Composition Research Articles

Red Blood Cell Lipidomics analysis through HPLC-ESI-qTOF: application to red blood cell storage

Recent developments in mass spectrometry (MS) have enabled fast and sensitive detection of lipid species in different biological matrices. In the present study we performed an on-line HPLC-microTOF-Q MS approach to the red blood cell (RBC) lipidome. We thus exploited bioinformatic tools for the interrogation of novel databases, such as LIPID MAPS. By means of ad hoc software suites for mass spectrometry-based metabolomics analyses, we could address the key biological issue of the RBC lipidome, within the framework of RBC storage for transfusion purposes. Samples were collected from subjects living in the province of Viterbo, where olive oil consumption represents a central aspect of the diet. On this ground, we could postulate a diet specific effect on the accumulation of lipid-specific storage lesions. The analyses yielded the tentative identification of a huge number of lipid molecules on the basis of accurate intact mass values and retention times, and MS/MS validation. This analytical workflow was exploited to consolidate existing knowledge on the RBC lipid composition and individuate statistically significant fluctuations of lipids throughout storage duration of RBC concentrates under blood bank conditions. Our analysis indicated ceramides, glycerophospholipids and sterols as key targets of RBC storage lesions to the lipidome, that will deserve further targeted investigations in the future. It also emerged how compositional analyses of the RBC lipidome might end up yielding different results on the basis of the background of the blood donor (i.e. diet), which might translate into region-specific lipidomic alterations over storage progression of RBC concentrates.

Visual maturation of term infants fed long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid–supplemented or control formula for 12 mo

Several studies found a benefit of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCP) supplementation for visual or mental development, but others found no benefit. Likely contributors to differences among studies are the amount of LCP supplementation, functional outcomes, and sample size. We evaluated LCP supplementation in amounts typical for human milk (based on local and worldwide surveys) in a large cohort of infants by using sweep visual evoked potential (VEP) acuity as the functional outcome. The study was a double-masked, randomized, controlled clinical trial in 103 term infants. By age 5 d, infants were randomly assigned to receive either formula with no docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) or arachidonic acid (ARA) or formula supplemented with DHA and ARA as 0.36% and 0.72%, respectively, of total fatty acids. Sweep VEP acuity was the primary outcome. Random dot stereoacuity, blood lipid profile, growth, and tolerance were secondary outcomes. VEP acuity in the LCP-supplemented group was significantly better than that in the control group at ages 6, 17, 26, and 52 wk. Stereoacuity in the LCP-supplemented group was significantly better than that in the control group at age 17 wk but not at ages 39 and 52 wk. By ages 17 and 39 wk, the red blood cell DHA concentration in the LCP-supplemented group was more than double and more than triple, respectively, that in the control group. Growth of infants fed LCP-supplemented and control formulas did not differ significantly, and both diets were well tolerated. LCP supplementation of term infant formula during the first year of life yields clear differences in visual function and in total red blood cell lipid composition.

Effect of atorvastatin on hemorheologic-hemostatic parameters and serum fibrinogen levels in hyperlipidemic patients

Plasma fibrinogen and hemorheologic-hemostatic factors contribute to dyslipidemia-induced morbidity. Some of these parameters can be favorably affected when abnormal serum lipoprotein levels are corrected. Thus, we investigated whether treatment with atorvastatin would result in changes in plasma viscosity and other hemorheologic and hemostatic parameters. Twenty-two hyperlipidemic men at a university lipid clinic were treated single-blinded with atorvastatin 80 mg/day for 12 weeks to determine hemostatic-hemorheologic parameters including blood viscosity, fibrinogen levels, whole blood platelet aggregation, tissue plasminogen activator antigen, hematocrit, plasminogen activator inhibitor activity, factor VII activity, red blood cell (RBC) deformity and lipid ratio, sedimentation rate, and fasting serum lipoprotein levels. Atorvastatin treatment provided significant lowering of serum lipoprotein levels: low-density lipoprotein −53% (p = 0.0001), very low density lipoprotein −43% (p = 0.0001), and triglycerides −35% (p <0.0001). These effects were accompanied by changes in plasma viscosity −10% (p = 0.0007), arachidonic acid-induced whole blood platelet aggregation −11% (p = 0.006), factor VII −8% (p = 0.001), RBC lipid composition +5% (p = 0.0003), and RBC sedimentation −33% (p = 0.0002). Plasma fibrinogen levels were not affected. Thus, atorvastatin 80 mg/day produced marked reductions in serum low-density lipoproteiin cholesterol (−53%), very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (−43%), and triglycerides levels (−35%), and significant changes in plasma viscosity as well as other hemorheologic-hemostatic parameters, but no changes in plasma fibrinogen levels.

Age-Related Changes in Red Blood Cell Lipids

Red blood cell (RBC) lipid composition was investigated in 81 healthy subjects aged twenty to sixty-nine years, having similar dietary habits, and living in the same geographic area in order to search for changes referable to aging. A significant increase in RBC cholesterol and total phospholipid content with aging was found (p less than 0.001), whereas no differences were observed in cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratio. Significant increases in palmitic acid 16:0 esterified in phosphatidylcholine and in stearic acid 18:0 esterified in phosphatidylethanolamine (p less than 0.001) were observed with aging. Moreover, a decrease in 18:2 n6 was observed in all three phosphoglyceride fractions investigated (p less than 0.001). These results suggest that modifications in RBC lipid composition occur with aging, possibly causing a reduction of membrane fluidity.