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Altered red cell turnover in diabetic mice
Annamaria B Manodori1, Frans A Kuypers
1Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Oakland, CA94609, USA. amanodori@chori.org
The Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine
|September 25, 2002
Summary
Diabetic mice show increased red blood cells exposing phosphatidylserine, altering red cell survival. This suggests older red cells may contribute to vascular damage in diabetes.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Diabetology
- Cellular Biology
Background:
- Diabetes mellitus is associated with alterations in red blood cell (RBC) function.
- Phosphatidylserine (PS) exposure on RBCs typically signals their removal from circulation.
- The fate of PS-exposing RBCs in diabetes remains incompletely understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of diabetes on RBC survival and phosphatidylserine exposure.
- To explore the relationship between RBC characteristics, PS exposure, and RBC lifespan in a diabetic mouse model.
Main Methods:
- Diabetic (db/db) and control mice were used.
- Red cell turnover was assessed using random biotin labeling.
- Phosphatidylserine exposure and cellular characteristics were analyzed by flow cytometry and ektacytometry.
Main Results:
- Diabetic mice exhibited an altered RBC survival curve with a longer-lived subpopulation compared to linear removal in controls.
- A significantly higher percentage of RBCs exposed phosphatidylserine in diabetic mice (0.9%) versus controls (0.6%).
- The proportion of PS-exposing RBCs increased with cell age, at a faster rate in diabetic mice.
Conclusions:
- Diabetes alters RBC removal mechanisms, leading to the accumulation of older, PS-exposing RBCs.
- The presence of this older RBC subpopulation may play a role in diabetes-related vascular complications.
- RBC phosphatidylserine exposure is a key indicator of altered cell survival in diabetes.