MicroRNA Dysregulation Associated with Red Blood Cell Storage.

INTRODUCTION: Stored red blood cells (RBCs) undergo storage lesions involving morphological, physiological and biochemical changes. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have important functions in cell apoptosis and life processes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore potential roles of miRNAs in the damage of stored RBCs. METHODS: Blood samples were collected from 13 healthy male O-type donors, and leuko-reduced RBCs were divided into fresh RBC group and 20-day storage RBC group. RESULTS: Eight predicted miRNAs with modified expressions with an intersection ≥ 3 were found dysregulated in the 20-day storage RBC group and involved in apoptosis and senescence signaling pathway: miR-31-5p, miR-196a-5p, miR-203a, miR-654-3p and miR-769-3p were increased, while miR-96-5P, miR-150-5P and miR-197-3p were decreased. Evidence associating miR-31-5p, miR-203a, miR-654 and miR-769 to RBCs or blood in general are not available. CONCLUSIONS: Dysregulated miRNAs might represent potential biomarkers to identify storage lesions, and their detection might help to evaluate the quality of stored RBCs.

Longer storage of red blood cells is associated with increased in vitro erythrophagocytosis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Refrigerated storage of red blood cells (RBCs) induces numerous changes that may target the cells for erythrophagocytosis following transfusion. The influence of storage upon the phagocytosis of unseparated and fractionated young and old stored RBCs was investigated using two in vitro quantitative phagocytosis assays. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Leucocyte-depleted RBC units were sampled at day 1 or 42 of storage. Young and old RBCs were fractionated at day 1 by density centrifugation and stored in paediatric packs for up to 42 days. RBCs were labelled with the fluorescent dye PKH26 and incubated with the human monocytic cell line THP-1. Erythrophagocytosis was quantified by flow cytometry and plate fluorometric assays. RESULTS: A higher proportion of THP-1 cells phagocytosed RBCs stored for 42 days compared with 1 day (41% and 24% respectively; P<0·0001). This was associated with an increased mean number of RBCs phagocytosed per THP-1 cell (5·2±0·6 and 3·3±0·2 respectively; P<0·002). Erythrophagocytosis of fractionated young and old RBCs increased with longer storage duration up to 28 days (P<0·05). However, no significant differences were observed between erythrophagocytosis of young and old RBCs. CONCLUSION: The susceptibility of stored RBCs to erythrophagocytosis significantly increased with longer storage time of the RBC units. Storage duration of RBCs had a greater influence on in vitro erythrophagocytosis than the chronological age of the RBCs at donation.

Characteristics of resveratrol and serotonin on antioxidant capacity and susceptibility to oxidation of red blood cells in stored human blood in a time-dependent manner.

Objective In stored red blood cells (RBCs), which are used in diseases (e.g., acute blood loss and leukaemia), storage lesions arise by oxidative stress and other factors over time. This study investigated the protective effects of resveratrol and serotonin on stored RBCs. Methods Blood from each donor (n = 10) was placed in different bags containing 70 mL of citrate phosphate dextrose (total volume: 500 mL) and divided into three groups (n = 30): control, 60 µg/mL resveratrol, and 60 µg/mL serotonin. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels, activity of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase, and carbonic anhydrase (CA), and susceptibility to oxidation in RBCs, and pH in whole blood were measured at baseline and on days 7, 14, 21, and 28. Results MDA levels and susceptibility to oxidation were increased in all three groups time-dependently, but this increase was greater in the serotonin group than in the other groups. Activity of GSH-Px, CAT, and CA, as well as GSH levels, were decreased in the control and serotonin groups time-dependently, but were significantly preserved in the resveratrol group. The pH was decreased in all groups time-dependently. Conclusion Our study shows that resveratrol attenuates susceptibility to oxidation of RBCs and protects their antioxidant capacity, and partially preserves CA activity time-dependently.