Effect of aromatic nitroxides on hemolysis of human erythrocytes entrapped with isolated hemoglobin chains.

An in vitro model of thalassemia was produced by entrapment of isolated hemoglobin chains in human erythrocytes, thus subjecting the loaded cells to oxidative stress. The presence of these unpaired chains induced physico-chemical modifications at the membrane level as studied by laurdan fluorescence. The polarity of the lipid bilayer was shown to decrease with a concomitant shift towards a gel phase in alpha-loaded erythrocytes. The determination of conjugated dienes before the hemolytic event was used as an oxidation index; the results obtained demonstrate that beta thalassemia is associated with oxidative stress. Furthermore, the presence of indolinic and quinolinic nitroxide radicals, a new class of antioxidants, in suspensions of alpha-loaded erythrocytes protected the erythrocytes from the hemolytic event. However, the protective effect exerted by the nitroxide radicals is not related to effects on membrane polarity and lipid peroxidation, even though a chemiluminescence study has demonstrated the superoxide scavenging activity of these nitroxide radicals.