Impaired erythrocyte transmembrane potential in diabetes mellitus and its possible improvement by resorcylidene aminoguanidine

Erythrocytes of diabetic patients have abnormal membrane properties. We exa mined in vitro transmembrane potential and the possible effect of resorcyli dene aminoguanidine (RAG) on its modulation in erythrocytes of diabetic sub jects. The transmembrane potential was assessed in RAG-treated and untreate d erythrocytes, respectively, using a fluorescent dye (3,3'-dipropylthiadic arbocyanine iodide [DiSC(3)(5)]). We confirmed earlier findings that the tr ansmembrane potential of diabetic erythrocytes is significantly increased c ompared with control (P < 0.01). The membrane hyperpolarization found in di abetic cells seems to be a result of oxidative stress present in diabetes m ellitus. On one hand, the RAG treatment induced decrease in abnormal transm embrane potential values in diabetic erythrocytes (P < 0.01), presumably vi a its antioxidant and antiglycation activity. On the other hand, RAG modera tely hyperpolarized the control erythrocytes (P < 0.05). We suggest that th e drug-induced transient membrane expansion leads to an intracellular potas sium loss and a subsequent change of the transmembrane potential. However, if controlled by an appropriate dosage, RAG can eliminate certain types of erythrocyte membrane damage induced by diabetes mellitus. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.