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Updated: Jul 18, 2026
09:15
Induction of Eryptosis in Red Blood Cells Using a Calcium Ionophore
Published on: January 21, 2020
Suicidal erythrocyte death in sepsis
Daniela S Kempe1, Ahmad Akel, Philipp A Lang
1Department of Physiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Journal of Molecular Medicine (Berlin, Germany)
|December 21, 2006
Summary
Sepsis induces suicidal erythrocyte death (eryptosis) via increased cytosolic Ca2+ and ceramide. This phosphatidylserine exposure on red blood cells contributes to anemia and microcirculation issues in sepsis patients.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Pathophysiology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Sepsis is linked to anemia, likely due to accelerated red blood cell clearance.
- The precise mechanisms driving this accelerated clearance have remained unclear.
- Eryptosis, or suicidal erythrocyte death, characterized by phosphatidylserine exposure, is a known cell death pathway.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether sepsis plasma or pathogen supernatants induce eryptosis in erythrocytes.
- To elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms of sepsis-induced eryptosis.
Main Methods:
- Erythrocytes from healthy volunteers were exposed to sepsis patient plasma or pathogen supernatants.
- Flow cytometry was used to measure phosphatidylserine exposure (annexin V binding), cell volume, cytosolic Ca2+ activity, and ceramide formation.
Main Results:
- Plasma from sepsis patients, but not healthy individuals, induced phosphatidylserine exposure on erythrocytes.
- This effect correlated with increased ceramide formation and cytosolic Ca2+ activity.
- Pathogen supernatants also induced eryptosis, linked to sphingomyelinase activity.
Conclusions:
- Sepsis plasma triggers eryptosis, a novel mechanism contributing to anemia and microcirculatory dysfunction.
- Phosphatidylserine exposure on erythrocytes leads to their adherence to vascular walls and clearance from circulation.
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