Affiliations: Department of Haematology, Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TJ, UK
Correspondence:
[*]
Correspondence to: Professor J. Stuart
Note: [] Accepted by: Editor G. Lowe
Abstract: Valinomycin, a K+ ionophore, was used in vitro to induce loss of K+ and water from the erythrocytes of 20 patients with homozygous sickle cell anaemia. The resulting loss of filterability, through pores of 5 µm diameter, of these dehydrated sickle cells was significantly improved by the presence of oxpentifylline (1.0 and 10 µmol/l), cetiedil citrate (0.1 and 1.0 µmol/l), or the two drugs in combination (each at 0.1 and 1.0 µmol/l). Thus pharmacological concentrations of these drugs, which act by altering cation flux across erythrocyte membranes, can improve the hydration and deformability of sickle cells.
Keywords: Rheology, Erythrocyte deformability, Ion transport
