Inhibition of monosodium urate monohydrate-mediated hemolysis by vitamin E.

Microcrystals of monosodium urate monohydrate (MSUM) induce cytolysis and hemolysis in erythrocytes. In this report, we studied the effect of vitamin E on MSUM-mediated hemolysis in human erythrocytes. Vitamin E significantly inhibited hemolysis induced by MSUM. The hydroxyl group in the chromanol ring of vitamin E is dispensable for protecting erythrocytes against hemolysis induced by MSUM, indicating that the inhibitory effect of vitamin E is not due to its antioxidant properties. However, both the chromanol ring and the isoprenoid side chain are important for vitamin E to suppress MSUM-induced hemolysis. Our current study suggests that vitamin E inhibits hemolysis induced by MSUM as a membrane stabilizer.