The oxygen carrying capability of hemoglobin vesicles evaluated in rat exchange transfusion models

To evaluate the oxygen transporting capability of Hemoglobin vesicles (HbV) the physiological responses to 40% and 90% exchange transfusions with HbV in anesthetized rat were observed. Hb concentration of HbV dispersions is 10 g/dL. HbV dispersed in phosphate buffered saline and HbV dispersed in 5% albumin solution were used as samples for 40% and 90% exchange transfusions, respectively. HbV surface-modified with polyoxyethylene (HbV-Poe) was also used in the 90% exchange transfusion. As controls, phosphate buffered saline, 5% albumin solution, and HbV containing methemoglobin and therefore deprived of oxygen transporting capabilities (metHbV) were administered as non-oxygen carrying fluids and washed rat red blood cells (ratRBC) as an oxygen carrying fluid. Measurements included mean arterial pressure, arterial blood gas analyses, aortic blood flow and renal cortical tissue oxygen tension. At the completion of the exchange transfusion renal cortical tissue oxygen tensions along with oxygen delivery and consumption were sustained almost equally well with the HbV dispersion compared to the washed rat red blood cell dispersion, but declined significantly in the phosphate buffered saline and albumin solutions. These results indicated that the oxygen transporting capability of HbV was almost equivalent to that of rat red blood cells. In the HbV-Poe group, aortic blood flow was sustained higher in comparison to the HbV group. As for the blood gas parameters, pH and venous oxygen tensions in the HbV-Poe group tended to be higher than those in the HbV group.