Opioids and rat erythrocyte deformability

In previous studies from this laboratory, it was noted that opioids in vitro reduced human red blood cell deformability. The effect was found to be dose-dependent, naloxone reversible and preferentially selective kappa ligands exhibited the highest potency. To extend these findings studies were carried out using rat erythrocytes. The time required for erythrocytes to pass through a 5.0 um pore membrane was determined and used as an index of deformability. Opioids added in vitro produced inhibition of deformability in a dose-dependent, naloxone reversible manner. Injecting naive animals with morphine or nalbuphine also produced dose related reductions in red cell deformability. The degree of inhibition produced by nalbuphine correlated well with its plasma concentrations as measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Chronic morphine treatment by pellet implantation resulted in the development of tolerance as evidenced by a loss in the ability of morphine in vitro to inhibit red cell deformability. Addition of naloxone resulted in a decrease in filtration time. Thus, the data confirm and extend previous findings on human red blood cells. In as much as previous data from this laboratory demonstrated that opioids inhibit calcium flux from erythrocytes by inhibiting calcium-ATPase and calcium efflux is necessary for normal deformability, it is concluded that opioids act to reduce red cell deformability by inhibition of the calcium pump.