1996 Volume 25 Issue 1 Pages 8-13
The erythrocyte membrane is altered in diabetes mellitus. We examined the effects of oxidative stress on the diabetic erythrocyte membrane. The erythrocyte membrane, prepared from diabetic or control subjects, was exposed to reactive oxidants generated from leukocytes, the resultant increase in lipid peroxide contents and the membrane damage were compared between diabetic and control erythrocyte membranes.
The glycation level in the erythrocyte was significantly higher in diabetic patients than in control subjects (mean±SD=418±72 versus 363±24nmol/1010 RBC:ρ <0.05). After incubation with activated leukocytes, the release of lactate dehydrogenase activity (mean±SD=905±283 versus 547±191 IU/1010 RBC:ρ <0.001) and lipid peroxide contents in the erythrocyte membranes (mean±SD=4.52±3.57 versus 1.93±0.77nmol/1010 RBC:ρ <0.02) were higher in the diabetic erythrocytes compared to control erythrocytes.
These findings showed that the diabetic erythrocyte membrane was vulnerable to lipid peroxidation, indicating the possible role of vascular complication in diabetes mellitus.
