CARBOHYDRATE INDUCED MODULATION OF CELL-MEMBRANE .6. BINDING OF EXOGENOUS LECTIN INDUCES SUSCEPTIBILITY OF ERYTHROCYTES TO FREE-RADICAL DAMAGE - A SPIN-LABEL STUDY

The oxidation of erythrocyte membrane has been widely used as a model to study the damage of biomembranes by free radicals. Whether binding of lectin to erythrocytes has any effect on peroxidant injury has neve r been studied. This study reports for the first time that crosslinkin g of erythrocyte surface glycoprotein by an exogenous lectin significa ntly enhances the susceptibility to membrane damage by free radicals, as evidenced by the increase in membrane fluidity measured by EPR usin g spin label and the increase in the amount of oxyhemoglobin liberated due to cell lysis. (C) 1997 Federation of European Biochemical Societ ies.