Background: To evaluate biochemical and cellular changes associated with the storage of leukocyte-depleted red blood cells (RBCs).
Methods: We investigated 10 leukocyte-depleted RBC units, randomly chosen from volunteer donors. Every week an aliquot was collected for laboratorial evaluation, which included complete cell blood count, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity, extracellular sodium, potassium and pH, membrane-bound hemoglobin (MBH), band 3 profile, and quantification of RBC membrane proteins composition.
Results: We observed an increase in mean cell volume (from 91.86 ± 4.65 fl to 98.10 ± 5.80 fl, day 0 vs. day 21; p < 0.05), red cell distribution width, percentage of macrocytic RBCs, reticulocyte hemoglobin content and a decreased percentage of microcytic RBCs, mean cell volume concentration and G6PD activity. The extracellular concentration of sodium decreased, and that of potassium increased significantly over time. RBC membrane composition revealed an increase in spectrin/ankyrin ratio after 21 days (from 4.84 ± 0.99 to 5.27 ± 0.94, day 0 vs. day 21; p < 0.05). At day 35, a decrease in ankyrin (from 6.44 ± 1.70% to 5.49 ± 1.96%, day 0 vs. day 35; p < 0.05), in protein 4.1/band 3, protein 4.2/band 3, and ankyrin/band 3 ratios and in band 5 was observed.
Conclusions: Our data show that leukocyte-depleted RBCs present changes in the RBC morphology, membrane protein composition, enzymatic activity, and extracellular electrolyte concentration and pH.
Keywords: Leukocyte depletion; Membrane proteins; RBC; Red cell aging; Transfusion.