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Title: Red blood cell calcium homeostasis in patients with end-stage renal disease

Journal Article · · Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine; (USA)
OSTI ID:5408335

Low cell calcium level is essential for preservation of red blood cell (RBC) membrane deformability and survival. RBCs from patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) demonstrate reduction in membrane deformability, possibly as a result of increased RBC cellular calcium level. To evaluate calcium homeostasis in RBCs from patients with ESRD, we measured cell calcium level, basal and calmodulin-stimulated calcium-stimulated Mg-dependent ATPase (CaATPase) activity, and calcium 45 efflux were measured before and after hemodialysis. The in vitro effect of uremic plasma and of urea on CaATPase activity of normal RBCs was tested, and 45Ca influx into RBCs of patients undergoing hemodialysis also was determined. A morphologic evaluation of red cells from patients with ESRD was performed with a scanning electron microscope. RBC calcium level in patients (mean +/- SEM 21.2 +/- 2.8 mumol/L of cells; n = 28) was higher than in controls (4.9 +/- 0.3 mumol/L of cells; n = 24; p less than 0.001). Hemodialysis had no effect on cell calcium level. Both basal and calmodulin-stimulated RBC CaATPase activities in patients with ESRD (n = 9) were reduced by approximately 50% (p less than 0.01), but after hemodialysis, enzyme activity returned to normal. 45Ca efflux from calcium-loaded cells, which was 2574.0 +/- 217.0 mumol/L of cells per 0.5 hours before hemodialysis, increased to 3140.7 +/- 206.8 mumol/L of cells per 0.5 hours after hemodialysis (p less than 0.005). In vitro incubation of normal RBCs with uremic plasma depressed CaATPase activity, but incubation with urea had no effect. RBCs of patients with ESRD revealed increased 45Ca influx, 7.63 +/- 1.15 mumol/L of cells per hour versus 4.61 +/- 0.39 mumol/L of cells per hour (p less than 0.025). RBCs of patients revealed a high incidence of spherocytosis and echynocytosis, which correlated with a high cell calcium level (r = 0.894, p less than 0.01).

OSTI ID:
5408335
Journal Information:
Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine; (USA), Vol. 114:3; ISSN 0022-2143
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English