Phase changes in membrane lipids in sickle red cell shed-vesicles and sickle red cells

Lipid phase transformations may occur in the membranes of sickle red cell shed-vesicles and sickle red cells. The presence of such phase changes could be important in sickle cell disease since membrane phase changes appear to contribute to the generation of antiphospholipid antibodies that are thrombophilic and occur in sickle cell disease. In the present study, we have evaluated sickle red cell shed-vesicles and sickle red cells for the presence of non-bilayer lipid phases using 31P-NMR spectroscopy. Results show that the spectra of both the shed-vesicles and the sickle red cells are compatible with the occurrence of non-bilayer phases in the membrane bilayers. The findings support the concept that these membranes could contribute to the generation of antiphospholipid antibodies in sickle cell disease.