Erythrocyte transmembrane electron transfer in haemodialysis patients

Matteucci, Elena; Cupisti, Adamasco; Caprioli, Raffaele; Battipaglia, Elena; Favilla, Stefania; Rindi, Paolo; Barsotti, Giuliano; Giampietro, Ottavio

doi:10.1016/j.numecd.2005.11.011

« Previous Next »Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases
Volume 17, Issue 4 , Pages 288-293, May 2007

Erythrocyte transmembrane electron transfer in haemodialysis patients

Elena Matteucci
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Rome 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +39 050 993246.
Adamasco Cupisti
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Rome 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Raffaele Caprioli
- Nephrology Unit, A.O.U. Pisana, Pisa, Italy
Elena Battipaglia
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Rome 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Stefania Favilla
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Rome 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Paolo Rindi
- Nephrology Unit, A.O.U. Pisana, Pisa, Italy
Giuliano Barsotti
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Rome 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Ottavio Giampietro
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Rome 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy

Received 23 May 2005; received in revised form 24 November 2005; accepted 24 November 2005. published online 18 March 2006.

Abstract

Background and aims

Patients with chronic renal failure, especially those treated with haemodialysis, have an increased risk of developing atherosclerotic vascular disease probably as a result of enhanced oxidative stress. The human cell membrane possesses electron transfer systems which protect against extracellular pro-oxidant challenge. We evaluated (1) the erythrocyte velocity of ferricyanide reduction (RBC vfcy) in 25 uraemic patients (aged 25–71 years; 14 males), (2) the changes induced by a single haemodialysis session and (3) biomarkers of oxidative stress.

Methods and results

Before and after a mid-week dialysis session, we measured RBC vfcy, erythrocyte glutathione (RBC GSH), plasma and red cell membrane malondialdehyde (P and RBC MDA), plasma sulphydryl groups (P SH), plasma vitamin C levels and haemolysis percentage.

Pre-dialysis RBC GSH (0.68±0.13 vs 0.80±0.13mg/mL, p<0.01), P SH (266±74 vs 406±78μmol/L, p<0.01) and plasma vitamin C (7.0±5.1 vs 21.5±8.5mg/L, p<0.001) were lower than in 25 age-sex-matched healthy controls; P MDA (1.57±0.52 vs 0.54±0.29nmol/mL, p<0.001), RBC MDA (0.42±0.13 vs 0.34±0.16nmol/mL, p<0.05) and haemolysis (1.2±0.3 vs 0.7±0.3%, p<0.001) were increased. Baseline RBC vfcy did not differ from normals (13.1±5.2 vs 12.9±3.2mmol/mL/h). Following dialysis, RBC vfcy (to 8.9±4.5mmol/mL/h, p<0.001) decreased, as well as P MDA, RBC MDA and plasma vitamin C (to 2.5±1.4mg/L, p<0.001), whereas P SH groups increased (to 413±99μmol/L, p<0.001); haemolysis percentage remained high. RBC vfcy values were correlated to RBC GSH and vitamin C levels.

Conclusions

Uraemic patients showed signs of oxidative stress. Pre-dialysis RBC vfcy is maintained in the normal range on account of a reduced intracellular content of GSH and in spite of low plasma ascorbate. A single haemodialysis treatment reduced biomarkers of protein and lipid oxidation but markedly impaired transmembrane electron transfer, which could be explained by acute depletion of electron donors.

Keywords: Haemodialysis, Oxidative stress, Erythrocyte transmembrane electron transfer, Vitamin C, Malondialdehyde, Glutathione