Red cell cholesterol depletion and the formation of spiculated cells in vivo
Robins, S.J.; Miller, A.
Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine 83(3): 436-443
1974
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-2143 PMID: 4812317 Document Number: 70284
Fasting male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 250 to 350 g were given into the ileofemoral vein continuously for 24 h phospholipid in the form of egg lecithin prepared as a dispersion in saline; plasma contained greatly increased amounts of phospholipid and unesterified cholesterol. After infusion, red blood cells appeared spheroidal and spiculated, showed increased osmotic fragility and contained significantly less cholesterol; the cholesterol loss was selective and resulted in a reduction of almost 50% in the cholesterol:phospholipid ratio. When normal red cells were incubated for 20 h in plasma of high phospholipid content selective red cell cholesterol loss of similar magnitude occurred. In vitro, red cell cholesterol was depleted even when the medium contained, in addition to increased phospholipid, greatly increased amounts of unesterified cholesterol.