Effects of estrogen and androgen level on erythrocyte deformability in endocrinological erectile dysfunction

Objective: To evaluate the effect of estrogen and androgen levels on erythrocyte deformability in endocrinological erectile dysfunction patients. Methods: The estrogen level, androgen level, IR of 30 psychogenic and 15 endocriological ED were studied and the correlation between the estrogen and androgen levels and RI were analyzed. Results: There is a negative correlation betweenthe androgen and estrogen levels and IR; The IR (5.9033 ± 1.9369), η_(10)(11.2810 ± 1.3120) values in the endcocrinological group were markedly higher than those (4.0589 ± 1.55339, 9.8321 ± 1.6415) in the psychogenic group. Conclusion: The lower level of the estrogen and androgen in endocrinological ED patients may result in the decrease of erythrocyte deformability causing the increase in blood viscosity. To enhance in time the levels of estrogen and androgen might improve penile erectile function of endocrinological ED patients in hemodynamics

Effects of L.F04,the Active Fraction of Lycopus lucidus, on Erythrocytes Rheological Property

Objective: To study the effects of L.F04, the active fraction of Lycopus lucidus, on erythrocytes rheological property so as to investigate its mechanism in promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. Method: The effects of L.F04 (used for treatment for 10 days in different dosages) on deformability, aggregation and membrane liquidity of erythrocytes (MLE) as well as whole blood apparent viscosity (η_b) were examined on the basis of rat model of blood-stasis syndrome induced by venous injection of high molecular weight dextran. Result: As compared with the normal control group, the model group's RBC deformability and MLE were lower, and the aggregation of erythrocytes and η_b were higher. Compared with the model group, both L.F04 0.612g/kg and 0.306g/kg showed significant effect in improving deformability and inhibiting aggregation of red blood cells (RBC) and reducing blood viscosity. The trend of improving MLE was also shown. Conclusion: L.F04 could significantly improve the abnormal rheological property of erythrocytes.

Relationship between glutathione and malonaldehyde levels in erythrocytes and the deformation index of erythrocyte in patients at various periods following acute cerebral infarction

BACKGROUND： Glutathione, as an in vivo free radical scavenger, plays an important role in the anti-oxidation defense mechanism in patients with acute cerebral infarction. OBJECTIVE： To observe the relationship between the levels of glutathione （GSH） and malonaldehyde （MDA）, the metabolite of lipid peroxidation, in erythrocyte and deformation index of erythrocyte in patients at various periods following acute cerebral infarction. DESIGN： Controlled observation.SETTING： Qilu Hospital of Shandong University and Institute of Cerebrovascular Disease of Qingdao Medical College. PARTICIPANTS： We chose 98 inpatients with acute cerebral infarction from Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University from January to December 2000 , serving as cerebral infarction group, including 50 male and 48 female, with mean age of （62±7）years. There were 23 cases found on the 1^st day after onset; 25 cases on the 3^rd day after onset; 25 cases on the 7^th day after onset; 25 cases on the 14th days after onset, and they were all confirmed by craniocerebral CT or MRI. Another 30 homeochronous inpatients with neurosis, cervical syndrome, lumbar intervertebral disc herniation and motor neuron disease were chosen as control group, including 20 male and 10 female, with mean age of （52±8）years . There was no significant difference in age and gender distribution between two groups （P 〉 0.05）. Patients in the two groups were informed of detected index.METHODS：①Ulnar venous blood was chosen from the patients who were fasted on the 1^st, 3^rd,7^th and 14^th days after onset. Deformation index of erythrocyte was measured with BL88-CKX laser diffraction erythrocyte deformeter and photographing was performed. GSH level in erythrocyte was measured with DTNB assay introduced by Beu-tler. MDA level in erythrocyte was measured with modified thiobarbituric acid colorimetric method.②At each sample collecting , according to the criteria accepted by the Fourth National Conference of Cerebrovascular Disease, intergrant of neurologic impairment 〈 15 points was regarded as mild （n=46）, 15 to 30 points as moderate （n=40）and, 〉 30 points as severe （n=12）. ③ t test was used to compare data between two groups , and linear correlation analysis was used in relationship analysis among indexes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES ：① Comparison of erythrocyte GSH and MDA levels and deformation index of erythrocyte at various periods between patients with acute cerebral infarction and controls. ②Correlation of erythrocyte GSH level with erythrocyte MDA level and with deformation index of erythrocyte in patients with cerebral infarction . ③ Relationship between erythrocyte GSH level and severity of disease in patients with acute cerebral infarction. RESULTS： Totally 98 patients with acute cerebral infarction and 30 controls all entered the stage of result analysis. ① Erythrocyte GSH level and deformation index of erythrocyte were lower on the 1^st, 3^rd, 7^th and 14^th days after onset in cerebral infarction group than in control group （P 〈 0.05-0.01）, and erythrocyte MDA level was significantly higher in cerebral infarction group than in control group （P 〈 0.05-0.01）. The three indexes changed most significantly on day 3 after onset in patients, and began to recover or decrease on day 7 after onset and inclined to be normal on day 14 after onset. ② Erythrocyte GSH level was significantly negatively correlated with erythrocyte MDA level in patients with acute cerebral infarction on the 1^st, 3^rd, 7^th and 14^th days after onset （r=-0.534, -0.713, -0.645, -0.656, respectively, P 〈 0.05-0.01 ） ,and significantly positively correlated with erythrocyte deformation index （t-=0.502, 0.560, 0.455, 0.504, respectively, P 〈 0.05）. ③Erythrocyte GSH level was significantly lower in moderate or severe patients with acute cerebral infarction than in mild patients[（0.215±0.088）,（0.192±0.102）, （0.281±0.090） g/L, P〈 0.05]. CONCLUSION：①Erythrocyte GSH and MDA levels and deformation index of erythrocyte change significantly on the 3^rd day following acute cerebral infarction. Index detection results gradually tended to be normal on from the 7^th day to 14^th days day after onset. ② Change of erythrocyte GSH level can reflect the severity of disease of patients with acute cerebral infarction.③Decrease of erythrocyte GSH level in patients with acute cerebral infarction is one of reasons that result in the decrease of deformation ability of erythrocyte.

The critical pressure for driving a red blood cell through a contracting microfluidic channel

When a red blood cell （RBC） is driven by a pressure gradient through a microfluidic channel, its passage or blockage provides a measure of the rigidity of the cell. This has been developed as a means to separate RBCs according to their mechanical properties, which are known to change with pathological conditions such as malaria infection. In this study, we use numerical simulations to establish a quantitative connection between the minimum pressure needed to drive an RBC through a contracting microfluidic channel and the rigidity of the cell membrane. This provides the basis for designing such devices and interpreting the experimental data.

Study of laser beam scattering by inhomogeneous ensemble of red blood cells in a shear flow

Laser elktacytometry is a technique widely used for measuring the deformability of red blood cells(erythrocytes)in blood samples in vitro.In ektacytometer,a flow of highly diluted suspension of erythrocytes in variable shear stress conditions is iluninated with a laser beam to obtain a diffraction pattern.The diffraction pattern provides information about the shapes(shear induced elongations)of the cells under investigation.This paper is dedicated to developing the technique of laser ektacytometry s0 that it would enable one to measure the distrilbution of the erythrocytes in deformability.We discuss the problem of calibration of laser elktacytometer and test a novel data processing algorithm allowing to determine the parameters of the distribution of ery-throcytes deformability.Experimentally,we examined 12 specimens of blood of rats under the action of 4 shear stresses.Analysis of the data shows that in conditions of a limited range of digitizing the diffraction patterns,the measurement errors for the mean deformability,deform-ability scatter and the skewness of erythrocytes distribution in deformability by our method are respectively 15%,20%and 20%.

Facile discovery of red blood cell deformation and compromised membrane/skeleton assembly in Prader—Willi syndrome

Prader—Willi syndrome(PWS)is a rare congenital disease with genetic alterations in chromosome 15.Although genetic disorders and DNA methylation abnormalities involved in PWS have been investigated to a significant degree,other anomalies such as those in erythrocytes may occur and these have not been clearly elucidated.In the present study,we uncovered slight anemia in children with PWS that was associated with increased red blood cell(RBC)distribution width(RDW)and contrarily reduced hematocrit(HCT)values.Intriguingly,the increased ratio in RDW to HCT allowed sufficient differentiation between the PWS patients from the healthy controls and,importantly,with individuals exhibiting conventional obesity.Further morphologic examinations revealed a significant deformity in erythrocytes and mild hemolysis in PWS patients.Comprehensive mechanistic investigations unveiled compromised membrane skeletal assembly and membrane lipid composition,and revealed a reduced F-actin/G-actin ratio in PWS patients.We ascribed these phenotypic changes in erythrocytes to the observed genetic defects,including DNA methylation abnormalities.Our collective data allowed us to uncover RBC deformation in children with PWS,and this may constitute an auxiliary indicator of PWS in early childhood.