ANTIOXIDANT DEFENSE OF RED-BLOOD-CELLS AND PLASMA IN STORED HUMAN BLOOD

Blood collected routinely from donors, and preserved with CPDA-1 antic oagulant (citrate, phosphate, dextrose, adenine), was investigated. Th e concentration of reduced glutathione, and glutathione peroxidase, gl utathione S-transferase, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase activities in erythrocytes, as well as the total radical- trapping antioxidant parameter in plasma were determined on days 1, 3, 7, 12, 16, 20 and 25 of storage. At the end of the study, a 30% decre ase in the reduced glutathione concentration (P < 0.001) and decreases in glutathione S-transferase (over 20%, P < 0.001), glutathione reduc tase (over 8%, P < 0.01) and superoxide dismutase (over 10%, P < 0.001 ) activities in erythrocytes, together with up to a 30% diminution of total antioxidant activity in plasma (P < 0.001) were noted. Thus, dur ing blood storage, glutathione-dependent antioxidant systems in erythr ocytes and antioxidant defence in plasma are depleted. From the presen t study, a twelve-clay period can be considered a safe storage limit. The sequence of events occurring in stored blood, leading to peroxidat ive injury in erythrocytes, is discussed. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B. V.