X-Message-Number: 12828
Date: Wed, 24 Nov 1999 01:14:03 -0800 (PST)
From: Doug Skrecky <>
Subject: l-carnitine helps prevent hemolysis

Authors
  Arduini A.  Holme S.  Sweeney JD.  Dottori S.  Sciarroni AF.  Calvani M.
Institution
  Department of Sciences, University G. D'Annunzio, Pescara, Italy.
Title
  Addition of L-carnitine to
  additive solution-suspended red cells
  stored at 4 degrees C reduces in vitro hemolysis and improves in vivo
  viability.
Source
  Transfusion.  37(2):166-74, 1997 Feb.
Abstract
  BACKGROUND: The role of L-carnitine (LC) as the requisite
  carrier of long-chain fatty acids into mitochondria is well established.
  Human red cells (RBCs), which lack mitochondria, possess a substantial amount
  of LC and its esters. In addition, carnitine palmitoyl
  transferase, an enzyme that catalyzes the reversible transfer of the acyl
  moiety from acyl-coenzyme A to LC is found in RBCs. It has recently been
  shown that LC and carnitine palmitoyl transferase play a major role in
  modulating the pathway for the turnover of membrane phospholipid fatty acids
  in intact human RBCs, and that LC improved the membrane stability of RBCs
  subjected to high shear stress. RBC membrane lesions occur during storage at
  4 degrees C; this study investigated whether the addition of
  LC (5 mM) to a standard RBC preservative solution (AS-3)
  affected cellular integrity with 42 days' storage. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS:
  A paired (n = 10) crossover design was used for RBCs stored in AS-3 with and
  without LC. Both in vitro RBC properties reflective of metabolic and membrane
  integrity and in vivo measures of cell viability (24-hour percentage of
  recovery and circulating lifespan) were measured at the end of the storage.
  In addition, the turnover of membrane phospholipid and
  long-chain acylcarnitine fatty acids and the carnitine content of control and
  LC-stored RBCs were measured. RESULTS: It was shown that LC was irreversibly
  taken up by RBCs during storage, with a fourfold increase at 42 days.
  Furthermore, as found by the use of radiolabeled palmitate, the stored RBCs
  were capable of generating long-chain acylcarnitine. The uptake of LC during
  storage was associated with less hemolysis and higher RBC ATP levels and by a
  significantly greater in vivo viability for LC-stored RBCs than for
  control-stored RBCs: a mean 24-hour percentage of recovery of 83.9 +/- 5.0
  vs. 80.1 +/- 6.0 percent and a mean lifespan of 96 +/- 11 vs. 86 +/- 14 days,
  respectively (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: A beneficial effect of the
  addition of LC to RBCs stored at 4 degrees C was evident.
  This effect may be related to both biophysical and metabolic actions on the
  cell membrane.

Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=12828