# STUDIES ON ERYTHROCYTE SENESCENCE

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA HLTH SCIENCES CTR · 1993 · $136,097

## Abstract

The mechanism responsible for erythrocyte senescence remains an unsolved
problem.  Even though the study of genetically determined hemolytic anemias
has demonstrated a variety of defects which can shorten the erythrocyte
life span, no clear cut answer has emerged as to the normal mechanisms
which determine erythrocyte survival.  The examination of this aging
process has been hindered by the technical difficulty of isolating aged
cells.  Historically a variety of physical techniques have been utilized
for obtaining these senescent erythrocytes but most are not satisfactory.
This proposal employs a procedure for the isolation of senescent
erythrocytes from the rabbit in which the cells are covalently labeled with
biotin by reaction with N-hydroxysuccinimido biotin.  The bound biotin has
been shown to not affect in vivo survival when the derivatized cells are
re-infused into the rabbit.  At various times after derivatization and in
vivo aging, the biotinylated erythrocytes can be selectively recovered by
their affinity for an avidin support.  With this procedure, erythrocytes
are routinely isolated within 5 to 10 days of their expected death.  This
proposal will examine the involvement of lipid peroxidation in the red cell
aging process by quantitating the level of malondialdehyde-protein adducts
in senescent cells, by quantitating the level of lipid hydroperoxides as a
function of red cell age and by determining the amount of heme and non-heme
iron associated with the senescent cell membrane.  Additionally, the state
of several membrane components in aged red cell will be evaluated including
the levels of sialic acid, the integrity of band 3 and the level of
complement components on the cell surface.  Also, the mechanism responsible
for the age-dependent loss of adenosine 5'-monophosphate deaminase activity
in the red cell will be examined.  A careful examination of these
parameters will facilitate evaluation of specific hypotheses related to the
red cell aging process and result in a better understanding of those
factors which control the normal senescence of erythrocytes.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3120245
- **Project number:** 5R01AG008545-06
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA HLTH SCIENCES CTR
- **SAM.gov UEI:** GY8NMUZQXVS7
- **Principal Investigator:** GEORGE LESLIE DALE
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1993
- **Award amount:** $136,097
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1989-01-10 → 1996-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3120245

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3120245, STUDIES ON ERYTHROCYTE SENESCENCE (5R01AG008545-06). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3120245. Licensed CC0.

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