[Effect of in vitro carbamylation of erythrocytes on their rheological properties].

In order to assess the role of carbamylation of erythrocyte proteins in the modification of rheological parameters of red blood cells observed in uremic patients, and in vitro carbamylation of erythrocytes and hemoglobin was carried out using sodium cyanate. The carbamylation of hemoglobin was determined by observation of the increase of HbA1 fraction. The deformability of erythrocytes and the viscosity of erythrocyte suspensions and of hemolysate were measured. The results showed an increase in the deformability of red blood cells and a decrease in the viscosity of hemoglobin as the carbamylation increased. This is attributed to a decrease of hemoglobin viscosity and to a modification of the electric charge of the membrane. These results show that the reduced erythrocyte deformability observed in patients with renal failure is not due to erythrocyte protein carbamylation.