Influence of acute phase proteins on erythrocyte aggregation.
Weng, Xiaoduan, Guy Cloutier, Raymond Beaulieu, and Ghislaine O.
Roederer.
Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Clinical Research Institute
of Montreal, 110 Avenue des Pins Ouest, Montr[acute]eal,
Qu[acute]ebec, Canada, H2W 1R7, Division of Oncology and Hematology,
H[circumflex]otel-Dieu of Montreal Hospital, Qu[acute]ebec, Canada,
Laboratory of Hyperlipidemia and Atherosclerosis, Clinical Research
Institute of Montreal, Qu[acute]ebec, Canada
APStracts 3:0215H, 1996.
With the exception of fibrinogen, immunoglobulins, and albumin, little
information is available on the effect of acute phase proteins on
erythrocyte aggregation. The objective of this study was to
investigate the effect of haptoglobin (Hp), C-reactive protein (CRP),
ceruloplasmin (Cp), [alpha]1-acid glycoprotein ([alpha]1-AGP), and
[alpha]1-antitrypsin ([alpha]1-AT) on the aggregation kinetics and
shear resistance of red blood cell aggregates. Using a scattered
laser light analysis system, the effect of adding sequentially these
proteins in blood samples of 20 healthy individuals was investigated
at a constant hematocrit (0.40) and temperature (37 degrees C). The
original plasma concentration of all these proteins was measured on
the control samples and kept unchanged while increasing the
concentration of the protein tested. No effect on erythrocyte
aggregation was observed for [alpha]1-AGP, [alpha]1-AT, and Cp at
mean plasma concentrations of 2.85 g/l, 3.97 g/l, and 2.43 g/l,
respectively. The effect of varying the plasma concentration of Hp
(2.78, 3.89 and 4.99 g/l), CRP (0.116, 0.285 and 0.438 g/l), and Cp
(2.73, 4.40, 6.06, 7.72 and 9.39 g/l) was specifically investigated.
The addition of different concentrations of Hp showed a significant
progressive increase of the aggregation kinetics compared to
controls. An elevation of the shear resistance of the aggregates was
found for CRP at the concentration of 0.438 g/l. By increasing the
concentration of Cp over the physiological levels found in human, the
aggregation kinetics and the adhesive forces between red cells were
significantly increased. In Discussion, the molecular mass of the
acute-phase proteins, their configuration, and the presence of
specific receptors on the red blood cell membrane are postulated as
possible factors influencing the aggregation kinetics and the
adhesive forces between red cells.
Received 12 February 1996; accepted in final form 6 May 1996.
APS Manuscript Number H1036-6.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Heart Circ. Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1996 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 5 June 96