Lipid Peroxidation in Cells and Cellular Aging

Abstract

Erythrocytes undergo oxidative damage including membrane lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation during the aging process. Naturally occurring IgG autoantibody to band 3 glycoprotein of the erythrocyte membrane (anti band 3) binds to the aged erythrocytes. The IgG binding is a critical event in the removal of aged erythrocytes from the circulation since IgG-bound cells are destined to be phagocytosed by the macrophages in spleens.
The selective recognition of the aged cells by the antibody occurs by the following successive mechanisms : 1) lipid peroxidation and/or SH oxidation of proteins in the membrane, 2) clustering of band 3 glycoprotein on the membrane, 3) anti-band 3 binding to the sialyl poly-N-acetyllactosaminyl saccharide chains of the clustered band 3. These events indicate that lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation are closely related to the erythrocyte aging and the mechanism of the aged cell removal from the circulation.