Donor sex, age and ethnicity impact stored red blood cell antioxidant metabolism through mechanisms in part explained by glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase levels and activity

Red blood cell storage in the blood bank promotes the progressive accumulation of metabolic alterations that may ultimately impact the erythrocyte capacity to cope with oxidant stressors. However, the metabolic underpinnings of the capacity of RBCs to resist oxidant stress and the potential impact of donor biology on this phenotype are not known. Within the framework of the REDS-III RBC-Omics study, RBCs from 8,502 healthy blood donors were stored for 42 days and tested for their propensity to hemolyze following oxidant stress. A subset of extreme hemolyzers donated a second unit of blood, which was stored for 10, 23, and 42 days and profiled again for oxidative hemolysis and metabolomics (599 samples). Alterations of RBC energy and redox homeostasis were noted in donors with high oxidative hemolysis. RBCs from females, donors over 60 years old, donors of Asian/South Asian race-ethnicity, and RBCs stored in additive solution-3 were each independently characterized by improved antioxidant metabolism compared to, respectively, males, donors under 30 years old, Hispanic and African American race ethnicity donors, and RBCs stored in additive solution-1. Merging metabolomics data with results from an independent GWAS study on the same cohort, we identified metabolic markers of hemolysis and G6PD-deficiency, which were associated with extremes in oxidative hemolysis and dysregulation in NADPH and glutathione-dependent detoxification pathways of oxidized lipids. Donor sex, age, ethnicity, additive solution and G6PD status impact the metabolism of the stored erythrocyte and its susceptibility to hemolysis following oxidative insults

Study of the trace element content in human cataractous lenses by instrumental neutron activation analysis

Cataract is a very common disease of the eye lens known since ancient times. Different mechanisms are responsible for the biogenesis of cataract but most scientists agree with the theory that cataract formation can be attributed to metabolism disorders in the lens. Instrumental neutron activation analysis has been applied in this work for the determination of the following trace elements: antimony, cobalt, iron, rubidium, selenium and zinc in human lenses with mature cataract. The results are statistically treated and correlated with age and sex of patients. Based on these findings, the concentration of elements studied does not have any correlation with the age and/or sex of the patients, i.e. when the lens becomes totally opaque. © 1989 Akadémiai Kiadó

Hemoglobinuria is associated with chronic kidney disease and its progression in patients with sickle cell anemia.

To evaluate the association between haemoglobinuria and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in sickle cell anaemia (SCA), we analysed 356 adult haemoglobin SS or Sβ(o) thalassaemia patients from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and 439 from the multi-centre Walk-Treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension and Sickle Cell Disease with Sildenafil Therapy (Walk-PHaSST) cohort. CKD was classified according to National Kidney Foundation Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiatives guidelines. Haemoglobinuria, defined as positive haem on urine dipstick with absent red blood cells on microscopy, was confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in a subset of patients. The prevalence of CKD was 58% in the UIC cohort and 54% in the Walk-PHaSST cohort, and haemoglobinuria was observed in 36% and 20% of the patients, respectively. Pathway analysis in both cohorts indicated an independent association of lactate dehydrogenase with haemoglobinuria and, in turn, independent associations of haemoglobinuria and age with CKD (P < 0·0001). After a median of 32 months of follow-up in the UIC cohort, haemoglobinuria was associated with progression of CKD [halving of estimated glomerular filtration rate or requirement for dialysis; Hazard ratio (HR) 13·9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·7-113·2, P = 0·0012] and increasing albuminuria (HR 3·1, 95% CI: 1·3-7·7; logrank P = 0·0035). In conclusion haemoglobinuria is common in SCA and is associated with CKD, consistent with a role for intravascular haemolysis in the pathogenesis of renal dysfunction in SCA