Sakai Hiromi
Department of Chemistry, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara 634-8521, Japan.
J Funct Biomater. 2017 Mar 15;8(1):10. doi: 10.3390/jfb8010010.
Hemoglobin (Hb) is the most abundant protein in whole blood. This fact implies that the oxygen binding and releasing function of Hb is the most vital for sustaining life. All Hb is compartmentalized in red blood cells (RBCs) with corpuscular Hb concentration of about 35 g/dL, covered with a thin biomembrane. In spite of its abundance, Hb sometimes shows toxicity once it is leaked from RBCs. The shielding effect of the RBC membrane is physiologically important. Based on this structural importance, we have studied artificial red cells (Hb vesicles, HbV) as artificial oxygen carriers, which encapsulate a purified and concentrated Hb solution in phospholipid vesicles, mimicking the cellular structure of RBCs. Our academic research consortium has clarified the safety and efficacy of this HbV, aiming at clinical applications. Because of some superior characteristics to those of RBCs, HbV has the potential for use not only as a transfusion alternative but also for oxygen and carbon monoxide therapeutics, perfusate for transplant organs, and photosensitizer. In this review paper, such potential applications are summarized.
血红蛋白（Hb）是全血中含量最丰富的蛋白质。这一事实表明，Hb的氧结合和释放功能对维持生命最为重要。所有的Hb都存在于红细胞（RBC）中，细胞内Hb浓度约为35 g/dL，外面覆盖着一层薄薄的生物膜。尽管Hb含量丰富，但一旦从RBC中泄漏出来，有时会表现出毒性。RBC膜的屏蔽作用在生理上很重要。基于这种结构重要性，我们研究了人工红细胞（Hb囊泡，HbV）作为人工氧载体，它将纯化和浓缩的Hb溶液包裹在磷脂囊泡中，模仿RBC的细胞结构。我们的学术研究联盟已经阐明了这种HbV的安全性和有效性，旨在用于临床应用。由于HbV具有一些优于RBC的特性，它不仅有潜力作为输血替代品，还可用于氧气和一氧化碳治疗、移植器官灌注液以及光敏剂。在这篇综述文章中，总结了这些潜在应用。
