Vol. 275, Issue 6, C1429-C1431, December 1998
Membrane lipid diffusion and band 3 protein changes in human
erythrocytes due to acute hypobaric hypoxia
Gloria
Celedón1,
Gustavo
González2,
Carlos P.
Sotomayor2, and
Claus
Behn3
1 Departamento de
Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de
Valparaíso, Valparaíso;
2 Instituto de Química,
Facultad de Ciencias Básicas y Matemáticas, Universidad
Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso; and
3 Departamento de
Fisiología y Biofísica, Facultad de Medicina,
Universidad de Chile, Santiago 1, Chile
Because it has been reported that hypoxia in rats may promote
lipid peroxidation and other free radical reactions that could modify
membrane lipids and proteins, the effect of acute hypobaric hypoxia on
human erythrocyte membranes was investigated. 12-(1-Pyrene)dodecanoic acid fluorescent probe was used to assess short-range lateral diffusion
status in the membrane bilayer. Membrane protein modification was
detected by SDS-PAGE. Healthy young men were exposed for 20 min to the
hypobaric hypoxia, simulating an altitude of 4,500 m. Under this
condition, erythrocyte membrane lipids reached a state of higher
lateral diffusivity with respect to normobaric conditions and membrane
band 3 protein was modified, becoming more susceptible to
membrane-bound proteinases. These observations suggest that acute
hypobaric hypoxia may promote an oxidative stress condition in
the erythrocyte membrane.
hypobaric pressure; membrane proteinases; membrane lipid dynamics
